


The Lies We Tell Are Worth Dying For

by xTarmanderx



Series: Fighting Through the Storm of Life [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Human Theo Raeken, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sick Theo Raeken, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-09-02 01:06:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 75,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16776565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: With time running out due to Theo’s health, Liam and Theo resolve to spend as much time together as possible. Things change when Beacon Hills’ latest enemy comes into play. With time running out, what will the boys do?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [manonlemelon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/manonlemelon/gifts).



> Special shoutout to Manon for every bit of spiraling and making this fic happen. I love you!
> 
> Point of clarification: I have changed Liam to a senior in this fic because of fucking Jeff Davis not knowing how timelines and school systems work. So this is senior year instead of junior year.

Liam missed his soulmate. Over the past two weeks, a dull ache had settled in his chest that was growing harder and harder to ignore. Theo, the love of his life, had been gone to visit his family for two weeks. He’d known is was going to happen, of course, they had discussed it before Theo had set foot outside of Beacon Hills. But he had also left with the promise to call every day, to text if calling wasn’t possible, and Liam had only heard from him twice in the last twelve days. Once when Theo’s plane had landed and then a second time when Theo had sent him a picture he’d doodled on a napkin at dinner, of the two of them holding hands and the word ‘soon’ underlined beneath it. But there had been radio silence since then and, despite the fact that he could just as easily pick up the phone and call, he felt as though he really couldn’t.

It wasn’t as though things weren’t going well between them. If anything, things had been better than ever before Theo had left. But now that he was alone, his mind couldn’t help but betray him. He could remember ever barbed word that had ever left Theo’s lips. He could vividly remember being curled up on the forest floor, Theo screaming in his face and cursing at him. He remembered Theo telling him that Liam didn’t know what love was, then kicking Liam out only days after he’d learned that his time with his soulmate had been drastically shortened. The fights still hurt, though almost a month had passed since the last one, but the doubt still had the ability to gut him like a knife. What if Theo was on the other side of the country, telling himself that he really was better off without Liam weighing him down? Maybe he didn’t want to be tied down to someone who was still in high school, someone who wasn’t even human? He let out a soft whine and hugged his pillow tight to his chest, burying his face against it. 

He’d barely managed to close his eyes when the bedroom door opened, footsteps carrying someone over to his bed. “Go away,” he muttered through the side of his mouth. Someone sat down beside of him and then ripped the pillow from his arms. Josh looked annoyed, his expression pinched as he watched Liam. 

“What’s wrong with you?” He asked, wrinkling his nose. “Do you even know what the inside of a shower looks like?”

“Fuck you,” Liam bit out as he rolled onto his back. So he hadn’t showered in the last two days. It had been a long week with school starting back the in the next couples of days and lacrosse practice happening every evening. He was allowed to want the weekend to himself as a chance to relax, dammit. 

“Get up and get ready. We’re going to lunch. If you try and bail, I will strip you down and make you do it.” Josh said. Liam eyed him for a moment, weighing his options. He knew Josh all too well. The chimera would do it if he thought it would get him what he wanted. 

“Where are we going?” Liam asked as he got up, shuffling slowly to his dresser to rummage through it. He pulled out clean boxers and a shirt that still smelled faintly of Theo, draping both over his arm as he bent to a lower drawer to find a pair of jeans. 

“The usual. Brett is going to meet us there. Don’t bitch,” he added when Liam pulled a face, “he wants to make sure you’re alive. He said you haven’t answered his texts about helping out with lacrosse. Didn’t you want to whip the freshman into shape?”

“I did until now,” Liam whined softly. As Josh’s eyes narrowed, he sighed and slumped his shoulders further. “I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.”

“Good. You do that.” Josh said, laying back on his bed and crossing his arms behind his head. Liam rolled his eyes and walked into the bathroom, letting the door click shut behind him. By the time he’d showered and made himself presentable, he was feeling a little better. He stepped out of the bathroom to find his room had been straightened up and the sheets had been stripped from his bed. Josh was nowhere to be found, but the low murmur of voices downstairs suggested that he was talking to Jenna. He grabbed his phone from the nightstand and checked it one last time, opening his last text to Theo that had been left on read. Sighing, he locked the device and tucked it away into his back pocket before he headed downstairs. Josh was sitting on the couch talking to his mom, but both paused and looked up as he entered the living room. 

“Well, there’s my handsome boy.” Jenna beamed as she got up and walked over to wrap him in a hug. “Go enjoy yourself, okay?” She pulled back and pulled something from her pocket, not discreet at all as she slid the folded bills into his front pocket. “Don’t come back until dinner time. That’s an order, mister.”

“Yes, mom,” Liam said as she kissed his cheek. “Love you.”

“Love you, too. Josh, take care of my son and please make sure he eats. I can’t stand seeing him moving around like this.” Jenna said. Liam’s jaw went slack and she shrugged, smiling sadly at him. “You know it’s true, sweetie.”

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Geyer. I’m on it.” Josh promised as he stood up and nodded toward the front door. Liam sighed and trailed after him, shoving his hands into his pockets. They didn’t speak on their way to the diner, Liam too wrapped up in his thoughts. They ordered at the counter and went back to a booth, waiting patiently for Brett to arrive. Eventually, the silence seemed to be too much for Josh. He sighed and unwrapped his straw, shoving it into the glass of water that had just been set down in front of them. He tossed the wrapper to get Liam’s attention, shaking his head. “You’re being ridiculous,” Josh said as he sucked on the end of his straw.    
  
“Am I?” Liam asked softly, tearing the wrapper into tiny pieces. He reached for his napkin to do the same, pursing his lips in concentration as he tore of a small corner. “You were there, remember? He broke up with me.” Rationally, he knew his boyfriend had done it to try and protect them both. It didn’t take away the pain or the doubt that still lingered. They’d only talked twice since he’d left for his trip to see his family despite the promise to at least text daily. He tried to tell himself that Theo was busy, that he was spending time with his family, but he couldn’t help the doubt that was rearing its ugly head at the back of his mind. He could still hear Theo yelling at him in his darkest dreams, furious with him for making his soulmate worry while he’d stumbled blindly through the woods. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and he looked up at Josh, hunching down further into his seat. “I’m a screwup.”   
  
“I’m going to seriously kick his ass.” Josh growled. Brett hummed in agreement as he joined them at the table, squeezing in beside the chimera. “Have you picked up the phone and called him?” Josh asked, shifting his arm back behind Brett’s shoulders.    
  
“I did the first few days.” Liam replied, sighing as he reached for his glass of water. “But he never picked up or called me back. You really haven’t heard from him either?” He shouldn’t have felt jealous, but a part of him wondered if Theo was still keeping in contact with his best friend and just avoiding Liam.    
  
“I told you he hasn’t texted me since he landed.” Josh said. Fishing his phone from his pocket, he unlocked it and slid the device across the table. “See? Nothing new from him.”    
  
“Do you think he’s in the hospital?” Liam asked quietly, glancing down at the name on his wrist. It had remained steady, neither fading nor growing any stronger, but it still made him uneasy. 

“Connie would have called if that was the case.” Josh assured. 

“I guess so.” Liam sighed softly, looking over at Brett. “You want to practice later this week? Maybe Thursday?” He offered up.

“Sure. It’ll be nice kicking your ass on the lacrosse field in front of your teammates.” Brett grinned and Liam rolled his eyes, balling up some of the shredded napkin and tossing it at him. Their food arrived a few minutes later and silence lapsed between them, each boy lost in his own thoughts as they ate.

-

The next day was a nightmare. Liam went through most of the day in a haze, unable to keep focused. He couldn’t really help it. His mind was a million miles away, running in an endless loop as he tried to understand what possible reason Theo could have for avoiding him for so long. Had he broken his phone? Forgotten his charger? Was there no cell service wherever he was staying? But even still, he knew Theo was supposed to be coming home any day now. Yet he still hadn’t heard from him. The nauseating feeling of his boyfriend dumping him returned for the millionth time and he swallowed hard, sitting down in the middle of the lacrosse locker room. Practice was close to starting and he had removed his shirt, but made no movement to do anything else. 

“Liam?” Corey asked softly as the rest of the team filed slowly from the room. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

“It’s nothing.” Liam swallowed hard, shutting his eyes. “I’ll be on the field in a few minutes. I just need a second.” He tried. The words were weak to his own ears and he sighed, hearing the chimera lightly tapping away on his phone. No doubt he was calling for backup. He wasn’t surprised when Mason arrived a couple of minutes later, setting his phone on top of the lockers.

“What’s going on?” Mason asked as Liam slumped forward, feeling as though the will to do anything had completely drained out of him. He whined piteously, the chilled bench pressing uncomfortably against his bare chest.

“I can’t do this.” He said, his voice pathetic even to his own ears.

“Yes you can, you’ve handled so much worse than this.” Mason said, gripping his arm and guiding him up into a sitting position. Corey grabbed his pads and shirt, shoving the article of clothing into Liam’s arms. “You’re practically the alpha now,” Mason continued as he grabbed the shirt and helped pulled it down over Liam’s chest. 

“I’m nothing without him.” Liam said, his voice rising in pitch as panic settled in his veins.

“Liam, can you help me with this, please?” Corey begged softly as he attempted to wrestle the protective padding over his shoulders. 

“Theo left me.” Liam said, staring vacantly down at the bench beneath him.

“He went to visit his family,” Mason reminded. “It’s not like he dumped you or anything.”

“Why is your arm so heavy?” Corey whined, still struggling to help him get dressed. Masons phone buzzed on top of the lockers and he reached for it, the drive beeping as he unlocked it.

“Okay, Scott says coach is losing it.” Mason informed, shooting an anxious look at Corey over Liam’s head.

“Scott’s leaving, too.” Liam whimpered as he slumped forward. Corey wrestled him back up into a sitting position, Mason bending down beside of him.

“Going to college is not leaving, okay? It’s called growing up. And we’re all going to be going to different colleges eventually,” Mason said. Corey paused in attempting to buckle the straps on Liam’s arms, shooting a look at his boyfriend.

“I thought we were both applying to UCLA.” 

“What, you guys are going to to the same college?” Liam asked, looking anxiously between the pair. His grades would never be good enough for something like that. He would be trapped in a local community college, left to rot while his best friend went off to enjoy the rest of his life with his soul mate. Liam would never have that chance and he felt a stab of envy, his breath seizing in his lungs. 

“That is not the point,” Mason protested immediately. He turned, grabbing Liam’s lacrosse stick and shoving it back against his chest.

“What is the point?” Liam forced the words out, the sound echoing weirdly in the space around him. Was he having another panic attack? 

“The point is that summer’s almost over,” Mason said as he and Corey each grabbed an arm and began dragging him backwards off of the bench. “We’re about to be seniors, this is about to be the best year of our entire lives. You’re still captain of the lacrosse team. So, come on. We got to…” Mason grunted as Corey toppled to the floor beside of him, dragging him and Liam down into a heap on the floor. His phone vibrated and he sat up straight, eyes widening as he read the incoming text from Scott. “Coach is making Diaz captain.”

Liam pulled himself upright, exhaling slowly as he struggle to pull himself back together. Right. He couldn’t let his team down, not when they were counting on him to lead them through the season. So what if he was a failure to his soulmate? Eventually, he would have to learn how to exist outside of Theo. The thought chilled him to the core, but he swallowed it down and lurched unsteadily to his feet. Without a word, he tightened his hold on his lacrosse stick and broke into a sprint for the field. Just beneath the surface, he could feel his inner wolf stirring. He had to keep a better hold on his emotions, he needed to use his mantra now that his anchor wasn’t around to ground him. 

His shoes crunched against the soft grass as he raced down the sideline, watching Diaz head for the goal. He timed it perfectly and launched himself in front of the goal, spinning and shifting the ball in the net of his stick. With a slight smirk, he adjusted his grip and began his run down the middle of the field. He breathed shallowly and focused his attention on the run, preparing for his final stretch when another player blocked his path. He collided with him head on, grunting as he flipped and rolled over his back and collapsed onto the ground. Snarling softly, he rigged himself on his hands and knees. Scott’s whistle blasted shrilly through the air and he growled, keeping himself hunched over as he took deep breaths to try and calm himself. 

Scott dropped to his knees in front of him, reaching for his shoulder. “Liam, your eyes.” He said, his brows knitting together in concern. Liam nodded weakly and took another heavy breath, trying desperately to will his claws to recede as they began to extend. 

“McCall!” Coach barked out. Liam couldn’t focus on his words, too busy trying to stave off his panic attack. He couldn’t let the team see him like this, he was already the freak with anger issues, he didn’t need to be a freak for any other reason. In the back of his mind, a cruel voice whispered that was exactly why his soulmate had abandoned him. The voice was starting to sound terrifyingly familiar, just like Theo. In the background, the indistinct murmurs and whispers of his teammates clashed together and became static noise to him. He didn’t think anything of it until he saw Scott tense and get to his feet, slowly dragging Liam up onto his feet and turning him to face the wolf on the field. 

Liam immediately shifted behind his alpha, his eyes trained on the bloodied wolf that was only a few feet away. He tentatively sniffed the air, but it didn’t smell like a werewolf. The growling beast advanced a step and Scott commanded them all to step back, keeping his gaze fixed on the wolf that had its fangs bared. He barely looked up as Scott called on his teammate Nolan, only shifting his gaze slightly when Scott took his eyes off their immediate threat to coax the other player back a few steps. He could feel the power pulsing from his alpha and knew Scott was flashing his eyes as the wolf whimpered, slowly heading back into the first from where it had come from. 

“Guys, to the locker room! Everyone clear the field!” Coach Finstock barked out. Liam and Scott shared a look before heading for the woods, trailing after the scent of the wolf. If anyone tried to stop them, Scott would use his vet skills as his explanation. Thankfully, the team was still frozen in place behind them. As they entered the cover of the trees, Liam exhaled and turned to his alpha.

“You think it’s a wolf-wolf or…” he asked slowly, trailing off as the fetid stench of death reached his nose. 

“I think it’s just a wolf.” Scott replied as they crossed a fallen log and rounded the trees. Lying on the ground was a dead wolf, just a few feet from them. As Liam and his friend stepped closer, a mass of spiders flooded from its eye sockets and mouth, pouring onto the forest floor. He lifted his gaze slowly, scanning the rest of the area behind the wolf. 

“Scott,” he said softly, urging his alpha to look up. Just over a bowed tree, he spied the fallen bodies of the rest of the pack of wolves. They looked as though they’d been ripped apart by claws and fangs. He exhaled shakily, looking up at Scott with a frown. “What do you think did this?”

“I don’t know,” Scott confessed as he scanned the area. “They’ve been dead for a while. We can take one of the bodies to Deaton.” He suggested. 

“Please not the one that had spiders crawling from it,” Liam begged softly. Scott gave him a look and he whined pitifully, nose scrunching as he crouched beside the dead animal. “Can we at least wait until we have gloves?”

“Liam, you’re a werewolf. You’re not going to catch any diseases from it.” Scott said as he knelt down and gingerly lifted the front half of the animal. 

“That’s not the point. It’s dead and it had spiders crawling from it. Scott, spiders. Like millions of them.” Liam whined, picking it up by the back legs. 

“Didn’t know you were so afraid of spiders,” Scott chuckled. “Does Theo kill them for you?”

“Let’s not go there,” Liam said firmly. He shifted under his alpha’s curious look, swallowing hard. “Look. He’s not here, okay? He’s with his family right now.”

“But you’re upset,” Scott observed with a troubled frown. “Isn’t he coming back tomorrow?”

“Have you spoken to him?” Liam asked, looking up in surprise and hurt. When the other boy shook his head, he sighed and shrugged weakly. “I don’t know. Maybe he does. He hasn’t spoken to me since he landed. I think he’s mad at me.” His heart skipped a beat as he lied, but thankfully Scott didn’t ask. He didn’t think Theo was mad at him. No, instead he believed that he was disappointed in his soulmate. There was a difference. 

“Liam-“

“Do you think Malia could figure this out?” He asked abruptly, eager for a change in subject as his chest began to ache. “She might know what would be capable of something like this, yeah? She lived in these woods for a while.”

“I’ll text Lydia when we get to the Jeep.” Scott said. “Do you want to come over and help me finish packing?”

“Sure. But,” he added when Scott started to smile, “we aren’t discussing Theo. That’s off limits.” He said firmly. 

“I’ll only ask if you bring him up.” His alpha promised. Some of the unease in him settled and he nodded, grunting as he shifted the dead animal in his arms. 

“Hey, should we tell coach where we’re going?” He asked as they began their walk through a mostly empty parking lot. 

“I think Mason covered that,” Scott said as he nodded over at the human and his boyfriend, who were waiting with Liam’s lacrosse gear. Together they managed to wrangle the corpse of the wolf into the back of the Jeep and explain to the others what they had seen. With a promise to text any updates, Liam hopped into the car and Scott drove them to the clinic to leave the body with Deaton. In no time at all, they were on their way back to the McCall house with Scott telling Liam all about his dorm room ideas and meal plan for the upcoming year. He followed his alpha up to his bedroom and they got to work filling an old suitcase with clothing, both grunting with effort as they struggled to secure the latches. 

“Whatever happened to those wolves was definitely supernatural,” Liam said when he couldn’t contain his thoughts any longer. He cast a glance at Scott, sighing when his alpha wouldn’t make eye contact. The older boy pushed down harder on his suitcase, his jaw tense. 

“Well, I wouldn’t say definitely.” Scott said, nodding for Liam to start pressing on his side again. “It could have been a parasitic infection. I mean, we get dogs that come to the clinic that have botflies coming out of their skin.” Liam’s skin crawled at the image that popped into his head and he looked up, nose scrunching. 

“Can that happen to people?” He asked warily. 

“Yeah.” Scott grunted. “Yeah. They crawl under their skin, lay some eggs,” he began as they righted the suitcase up, “and eventually they…” Together, he and Liam tossed the suitcase onto the bed where it immediately sprung back open. “...burst.” Scott said with a weak attempt at a smile. Liam nodded, pushing his fingers back through his hair to move it back as he sat down beside of Scott on the bed. “So, you wanna talk about it?” His alpha asked, lightly clapping his hands together. Liam knew he was really asking about Theo. 

“I thought we were talking about it,” he joked weakly with a lame half chuckle. 

“No, that’s not what I’m talking about.” Scott said gently. 

“Oh. That.” Liam answered, raising his eyebrows slightly. He scoffed lightly and lowered his gaze, fixating on a spot on the floor. “Me.”

“Yeah. You.” Scott exhaled softly and he looked over at his alpha, grateful he had taken the bait. At least they could hold off talking about Theo for a few more minutes. “Your fangs, your eyes, the growl.” Liam swallowed and pushed his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he looked away again, flexing his jaw. 

“Sounds like we’re gonna talk about this.” He said softly, an almost hysterical laugh on the tip of his tongue. 

“You just need to have something when your anchor isn’t around.” Scott said gently. “You just gotta remember your mantra. What three things cannot long be hidden?” He asked patiently. Liam suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, looking up with a quiet sigh. 

“I haven’t had to use that in-“

“Hey.” Scott interrupted gently, his tone patient but firm. Shaking his head slightly, he continued, “What three things cannot long be hidden?”

“The sun, the moon, the truth.” Liam answered. 

“Again,” Scott murmured. 

Sighing, Liam pushed his tongue out against his cheek again and looked down. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, relaxing his shoulders. “The sun…” he breathed out, “the moon,” he steered himself with another deep breath as his heart began to race, “and the truth.” He finished, releasing his breath and listening to his heartbeat steady itself again. 

“Better.” Scott smiled as Liam opened his eyes again. 

“You don’t own another suitcase, do you?” Liam asked as he turned to look at the catastrophe behind them. Shaking his head, Scott looked around for a moment before leaning over and grabbing something from the floor. 

“I got duct tape.” He said, tossing the roll to Liam. He laughed quietly and got up, nodding for Scott to close the suitcase again. As they worked together to seal it, he could feel the unasked question still hanging in the air. 

“What?” He finally asked, tearing the duct tape and smoothing it down. 

“What are you doing to do when Theo is gone?” Scott asked gently. “When he’s dead? You can’t always rely on having your anchor around.” He knew that the older boy meant well but it still felt like a knife had been embedded in his gut. 

“I’ll start using the mantra again.” Liam mumbled, keeping his gaze firmly on the bulging suitcase. “He’s got two years. I...I have time to find another anchor.”

“Liam.” Scott’s soft tone threatened to split him in half. 

“We have time. He could be moved up on the donor list.” Liam whispered, breath hitching. “I can’t lose him, Scott. I can’t.” He didn’t know how anyone could survive losing their soulmate. He’d nearly died the last time and the near loss of Theo had broken him. “I don’t know how you keep going.” He admitted, looking up with tearful blue eyes. 

“Because Allison would want me to.” Scott replied, stepping around the bed and pulling Liam into his arms. “Just like Theo would want you to be happy.”

“He’s dying.” Liam sniffled into his shoulder, screwing his eyes shut. “Scott. I have to watch him die. I can’t do anything about it. I’d trade places with him in a heartbeat.”

“I know you would. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish Allison was still here. But if I was dead instead of her, you would be, too. I wouldn’t have been on that roof to save you. Theo would have been forgotten in the Wild Hunt. Or worse, killed off by Mason when he was possessed. We can’t think of different outcomes. We have to look ahead.” Scott murmured softly. 

“I know.” Liam swallowed hard, shuddering. “You could always bite him. Not now,” he added quickly as Scott drew back in surprise. “When...when it’s the end for him. If he’s already dying, then giving him the bite won’t make a difference. Isn’t it worth a try?” He asked, voice cracking. 

“I can’t promise anything.” Scott said, tugging Liam back into his chest. “But I will do what I can when the time comes. Only if Theo wants it,” he added softly. “He deserves that choice.”

“He’ll take it.” Liam said, sounding far more confident than he actually felt. Even if Theo wanted nothing to do with him anymore, he had to make sure the other boy had a chance to enjoy the rest of his life. Liam could bury his feelings if Theo finally had a chance to live freely and not worry about his heart all the time. He repeated that firmly, clinging to it like a lifeline as he matched his breathing with Scott’s. 

All too soon, it was getting late and Liam needed to get going. He didn’t have a day of classes the next day, but rather registration for his senior year to make sure he was on track for the home stretch. He’d be meeting with the guidance counselor to review his attendance, his class choices, and possible scholarship opportunities if there were any he qualified for receiving. He still needed to get dinner before he headed home. His parents were out for a date, meaning Liam would be left to fend for himself. He needed more than just a bowl of cereal, so he texted Josh and Brett to meet him at their usual place before bidding Scott goodbye. It wasn’t too far a walk from the McCall house and he could nag his friends for a ride home if he didn’t feel like walking back.

The diner was blissfully empty when he arrived, settling down in the usual booth at the back of the restaurant. He offered the waitress a friendly wave as she grabbed a couple of menus, walking over and setting them down. “Hey, sugar,” she greeted with a friendly smile. Once upon a time, Liam has bristled at that. Now he knew it was just one of her midwestern quirks. “Just you and Josh tonight? Or are your boys coming too?”

“Brett will be here. Theo is still out of town.” Liam explained, his heart clenching. She nodded, smiling sympathetically. 

“I’ll go ahead and get your shake orders started. You want your usual burger?” She asked. 

“Maybe. Let me look over the menu.” Liam said, though they both knew he wouldn’t change his mind. He hadn’t in all of the prior months, why change now? The little bell sounded above the door and he turned, smiling weakly as Josh and Brett walked in. They wordlessly slid into the space across from him, greeting the waitress politely. After they placed their usual orders, Josh fixed his gaze on Liam and furrowed his brows. 

“Not to start things off on a weird note, but why do you smell like decay?” The chimera asked. 

“And sadness,” Brett chimed in. Liam sighed and began to explain what had happened on the lacrosse field and what they had discovered in the woods. Josh’s nose wrinkled in disgust as he told them about the spiders and Brett made a noise of disbelief. 

“So, Deaton said he’d run some tests and we would see.” Liam said. “I think it’s something supernatural. Scott isn’t convinced.”

“Scott’s in denial because he’s about to go off to college.” Brett replied. “He doesn’t want a supernatural threat around when he isn’t around to handle it. Maybe it’s good that Theo isn’t here right now. Could be trouble.”

“Can we not mention him?” Liam whined. “I haven’t heard from him and he’s not talking to me.”

“Me either.” Josh said, pulling out his phone and unlocking it. Liam lifted an eyebrow at the string of unanswered texts that were more and more volatile. “Fuck him.”

“I think you’re both being idiots,” Brett said bluntly. 

Before Liam could stop him, he’d picked up the phone and pressed the call button beside Theo’s name. Pressing the speaker button, they listened to the phone ring. Liam’s heart hammered with each pause, his breath catching as he waited for someone to pick up on the other end. It rang twice more before going to voicemail and he let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. Brett ended the call and immediately tried again, ignoring Liam’s growl of protest. This time, it rang three times before someone picked up the phone. 

“What?” A woman’s harried voice sounded on the other end of the line. 

“Who the hell are you?” Liam growled, every muscle in him tensing as he leaned forward over the table. “Where’s Theo?”

“I told that boy he could-no, Connie-Theo-“ there was the sound of a struggle and then Theo’s familiar breath crackling down the line, settling something deep in Liam’s bones. 

“This is Theo.”

“You fucking asshole,” Josh snapped as he leaned in, barely an inch from Liam’s face. “You had us worried!”

“Josh? Oh god, I’m so sorry. My batshit crazy-no, I am  _ not  _ apologizing for the truth-sorry, my aunt decided that she was going to take my phone for the reunion. And then we were staying at her place and she doesn’t have reception so when I stole my phone back-of course I went through your stuff, Irma, you’re delusional-I couldn’t get a text out. We’re on our way to the airport now but she wasn’t going to give it back until we were about to depart. God, I’ve missed talking to you.” Theo rushed the words out, a small laugh escaping him. Liam could almost see his smile and it only made the ache in his chest worsen. 

“Missed you too, dude. Next time, tell your aunt that you’ve got a crazy worried soulmate who has been agonizing the past couple of weeks without you.” Josh said, looking up and holding Liam’s gaze. “He’s been a mess. I’m pissed at you right now.”

“Liam’s upset?” Theo asked softly. The concern in his voice made Liam’s breath hitch, tears pressing at the corners of his eyes. “Liam? Is that you?”

“Hey, Theo.” He tried to sound casual, but his voice cracked and he shuddered out another breath. 

“Li, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry-“

“It’s fine.” Liam replied quietly, swallowing hard. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“But you aren’t. Liam, what’s wrong?” 

“We should go, the waitress is bringing over our food. It’s good to hear your voice.” Liam said as he leaned back, trying to compose himself. “We’ve missed you.”

“Hey. Liam, this conversation isn’t over. Liam-“ Theo started, but Liam reached over and ended the call. He pushed the phone over to Josh, fixing his gaze firmly on the table. 

“He’s okay. We got our answer.” Liam said quietly. 

“Yeah, but you’re still upset.” Josh replied, frowning as his phone started to vibrate and Theo’s name flashed across the screen. “You’ve literally been moping because he hasn’t been able to talk to you and now you have the chance. Why aren’t you taking it?”

“Because I’ve spent two weeks moping and whining and thinking he was ready to give up on me.” Liam swallowed hard, shaking his head as the waitress set down their basket of fries. “How am I supposed to tell him that over the phone? How can I make him feel like it’s his fault for making me feel this way?”

“It is his fault,” Brett said. “He broke your heart. He made you feel worthless and it was a shitty thing to do. Life didn’t automatically become rainbows and sunshine again because you made up. You might have forgiven him, but that doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten how miserable you were. Forgetting is a lot harder.”

“Brett’s right.” Josh said, picking up his phone and answering it. “Hey, Theo. No, he’s right here. He’s...well, I’m not going to lie to you. He’s been moping and I’m pretty sure he hasn’t been taking care of himself. No, I don’t think talking to him right now is a good idea. You’ll see him in person again soon enough. I know, I’ll keep an eye on him. Jackass.” He snorted softly and shook his head. “It’s fine. See you in a couple of days.” He said before hanging up, looking over at Liam. “Problem solved.”

“You didn’t have to tell him I was moping,” Liam snapped lightly as he picked up his drink. 

“If I didn’t, Mason would have. Trust me, it would have been a lot nicer coming from me. Mason will chew him out.” Josh pointed out as he grabbed a handful of fries. “Now shut up and eat your lunch. It’s on me today.”

“Thanks.” Liam muttered, taking a sip from his water. He finished half of his share of fries before striking up a conversation with Brett, agreeing to meet him later that week so they could practice with the freshman on the team and whip them into shape. He definitely had a lot to think over before Theo returned the next day.

-

He didn’t sleep that night. When morning came and Mason picked him up for their senior registration at school, he was moody and restless. At least his name came at the beginning of the alphabet. Corey and a handful of other students would be seen before him, but he could handle waiting through that. He signed in his name at the table in the cafeteria and waited until they called a handful of names to go and line up outside of the guidance counselor’s office. By the time he was next to be called, his restlessness had settled into a bone deep exhaustion. He couldn’t wait until he was back home in his bed, able to sleep for a few more hours. If he had to face Theo like this, he wasn’t sure he’d last through the conversation without breaking down. 

“Liam Dunbar.” A woman called through the doorway as a girl exited the room. He rolled his shoulders back and walked inside, carefully shutting the door. He took a seat across from the woman, trying not to squirm. He didn't know much about Tamora Monroe. He’d only met with her once in the previous year when his attendance had hit a record low. “Liam, nice to see you again.” She smiled sweetly and he nodded, taking a deep breath. “You seem nervous.”

“I’m just tired.” Liam explained. 

“Ah. Must be nice to sleep your summer away. It’s hard to adjust back to normal hours.” She smiled sympathetically and looked down at an older folder in front of her. “I’ve been looking at your scheduling requests and I’ve got a couple of questions for you.” She said, lifting a paper out to study it closely. “Latin? You want to take Latin?”

“I like Latin,” Liam replied lamely with false cheer as he struggled to come up with a valid excuse. 

“Liam,” she let out a disbelieving laugh. “Who told you to take Latin?” He scoffed lightly and lowered his gaze, searching for some kind of answer before he decided to roll with the truth.

“Look, everyone says it’s an easy A and my GPA sucks.” He admitted. How was he supposed to go to somewhere like UCLA with Mason and Corey when he was struggling to maintain a solid 3.0?

“Well, I applaud you for wanting to raise your GPA, especially while applying to colleges. But easy is not the path you should be taking.” She said gently. 

“It...it’s been a really hard year for me.” Liam began cautiously, swallowing down his pride. He needed to open up to someone, someone who wouldn’t judge him or reassure him that he was exaggerating things. Maybe the guidance counselor was a good idea.

“You want to talk about your boyfriend, guidance hours are posted.” She smiled gently, but the words still stung. Of course someone else was just going to dismiss him. “Let’s talk about your schedule.” She flicked her gaze down to the paper and picked up her pen. “How does Spanish sound?”

“Bueno.” He answered with a slight shrug. 

“Excelente.” She scratched something down on the paper, nodding her head. “Liam,” she said as she closed his folder. “It isn’t that I don’t want to talk to you. I apologize if that sounded rude, I just have a line of students waiting to be seen so we can get these schedules ready for tomorrow morning. You understand, right?”

“I do.” Liam said, gripping the arms of the chair as he started to get up. 

“Liam? Just so we’re both aware, I’m going to be monitoring your attendance this year and checking in on your periodically. You had a rough time last year and I don’t want to see you slipping again.” She said. He nodded stiffly and walked out, exhaling as he made his way back to the cafeteria where Corey was waiting for him. They chatted idly until Mason joined them almost an hour later. As they made ready to leave and parted ways with Corey, Mason gently grabbed Liam’s elbow and guided him back to the building. 

“What’s up?” Liam asked, frowning as he glanced at his best friend. 

“There’s this book,  _ North American Cryptozoology _ , and they have this entire chapter of spiders.” Mason said as they entered the library. All around them, bored seniors waiting on their friends floated around the stacks with a book in hand. “And they even have a section on scarabs, too.”

“What’s a scarab?” Liam asked, hooking his fingers through the straps of his book bag. He hadn’t wanted to bring it, but Mason had insisted that Liam wouldn’t want to carry around a stack of papers on senior parking and policies on leaving campus for lunch. 

“Oh, you don’t wanna know.” Mason said as he turned them down the next row for books. The ‘mythology and superstitions’ shelf was completely barren, stopping him in his tracks. 

“What happened to all the books?” Liam asked, his eyes widening. 

“Uh, maybe someone’s writing a paper on mythology and superstition.” It was a terrible excuse, sounding weak to both of them. “Or, like, a hundred papers.” Mason suggested as Liam sighed in frustration. He turned back to the empty shelf just as a scream pierced the hall. Without thinking, he followed Liam from the library as they traced the screams to a classroom. They skidded to a halt as they passed through the doorway. Everyone was standing on a desk, shrieking as rats scurried across the floor and continued to pour out from a small vent on the floor. “It looks like we’re gonna need a book on rats, too.” Mason added with a huge grin over at Liam. 

“I really don’t like the look on your face.” Liam said. “Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?”

“Dude, come on.” Mason grabbed his arm, dragging him back into the hallway. “We need to go down to the tunnels. That’s where the vents lead.” He explained, leading him toward the parking lot. 

“How do you know?” Liam asked, barely able to keep up. They tossed their backpacks into the backseat and climbed into the front of Mason’s car, the human wasting no time starting it up. 

“I remember from when I was the beast.” Mason said, so quietly Liam thought he imagined it. “Apparently I explored the tunnels quite a bit.”

“Mase…” Liam whispered. 

“It’s fine. Come on, we have rats to investigate.” Mason cleared his throat and started to drive. The silence hung thickly in the air around them, threatening to choke him. He was relieved when they parked near one of the entrances and, after grabbing flashlights from the trunk, they descended into the musky darkness. When his shoe squelched in something sticky, he lifted it and swallowed down the nausea threatening him. Their footsteps echoed wetly on the walls around them and the stench made his eyes water. “You know, it’s not as irrational as you’d think.” Mason began as they turned down another long tunnel. “There’s actually an evolutionary advantage of having an innate fear of spiders, snakes, and rats.”

“How do you know they came from here?” Liam asked, shining his flashlight along the walls. 

“Well, they came clawing through the vents, and those pipes lead directly down here.” Mason said slowly. They entered a larger opening and Liam turned, his eyes widening slightly as he saw a mangled heap on the ground. 

“What is that?” He asked slowly. 

“It’s a rat king.” Mason replied, sounding awed instead of disgusted. Maybe Liam needed a new best friend. Wrinkling his nose against the smell, he stepped closer to observe the bodies. 

“What’s a rat king?” He asked. 

“It’s when a group of rats get their tails tangled together. Usually it’s because of glue or some kind of rat trap. It’s panic because they can’t get free and they usually die of fright, or they starve because they can’t get free of each other.” Mason explained. Liam nodded and stepped back, pulling out his phone. “Who are you calling?” Mason asked, watching him scroll through his phone. 

“Malia. I wanted to call her the first time with the wolves and Scott texted her. He and Lydia are leaving for orientation tomorrow, but Malia’s flight got cancelled. She should still be around.” He explained before stepping back. “Hey, Malia, it’s Liam. I know you have my number saved,” he sighed and scratched the back of his neck. “Mason and I found something and we need your help. Five minutes, I promise.” He closed his eyes. “Fine, two. We’re in the tunnels. Please hur-“ he paused and looked at his phone, mouth going slack. “She hung up on me!”

“It’s Malia.” Mason reminded with a chuckle. “So are we just going to wait on her to show up?”

“Might as well.” Liam shrugged and shoved his phone back into his pocket. “Mason-“

“Liam-“ They both started at the same time and both chuckled wearily, sharing cautious smiles. “You first,” Mason said.

“I just wanted to see how you’re holding up. It can’t be easy being back down here.” Liam said softly. 

“You know, I take it back. Me first. You heard from Theo?” Mason asked, averting his gaze. Liam made a face and slowly shook his head, exhaling slowly. “I still remember every minute of it. I’m torn between dreaming of that and dreaming of being forgotten.” His best friend confessed a moment later. “I’m trying. It just sucks. I don’t think I’m ever going to forget.” 

“Just don’t let it drown you. I’m always here to talk, you know that.” Liam said softly. 

“Same goes for you. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you avoided my question.” Mason smiled weakly. 

“Theo is...Theo. Sometimes I wonder if I’m ever going to feel comfortable with him again. The way we used to,” Liam sighed. “I thought I’d forgiven him, so why am I still hurting?”

“Because you had a fight with someone you love. Your mind is picking at your insecurities the same way that Theo did when he hurt you. You just have to remember that he loves you. Didn’t you say you talked to him the other night?” Mason asked, lifting an eyebrow. 

“Yeah. But we didn’t clear anything up. I just...I hurt.” Liam breathed out, swallowing around the sudden lump in his throat. “Fuck. Mason, I hurt so much.”

“I’m sorry.” Mason replied gently. He stepped forward and pulled Liam into a hug, rubbing his back. They held each other for a while, Liam taking comfort in the familiar scent of his best friend, until Liam heard rapidly approaching footsteps. He pulled back and smiled weakly, mouthing a thanks at his best friend as Malia appeared behind them. 

“I’m here. What’s the deal?” Malia asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Liam turned back to nod at the pile of dead rats that Mason was now poking. “You’ve got two minutes.”

“What do you think happened?” Liam asked her, fiddling with the flashlight in his hands. Malia frowned and crouched down, waving her hand over the mess. 

“Rats freaked out, crawled all over each other, got their tails knotted up.” She said as she reached in, slowly pulling one apart from the mass. “Tore each other apart trying to break free.” 

“You read up on a rat king?” Mason asked, surprised clear in his voice. 

“What’s a rat king?” Malia asked, getting to her feet with the rat in hand. She sniffed it and turned on Liam, rolling her eyes as he and Mason stumbled back. 

“Eugh, I’m good, thank you.” Liam said as Mason scurried back to the tunnel entrance. 

“Yep. I’m, I’m good just over here.” Mason said. 

“Can you smell it?” Malia asked impatiently. “It’s fear.” She dangled the rat again, scoffing lightly as Liam pushed her wrist down and she dropped the rat. 

“Yeah, it’s the same as the ones in the math classroom.” Liam said. 

“Why were there rats in a classroom?” Malia asked, turning to look at him.

“They ran in, about fifty of them.” Liam said. 

“Your two minutes are up.” Malia said, marching past him and Mason. 

“Where are you going?” Liam asked, taking a half step after her. 

“Paris. This isn’t my problem.” She said firmly.

“So you think this is a problem?” Liam asked, gesturing back at the rats. 

“Maybe. Probably. But you’ve got it covered.” Malia called back. “I’ve got a plane to catch.”

“I thought it was delayed?” Mason asked, frowning. 

“Rerouted,” Malia said before disappearing around the corner. Mason turned back to look at Liam, his shoulders slumping in defeat. 

“Back to round one.” He said glumly. 

“There’s one more person who might be able to help.” Liam said, lips pulling unhappily. “I know someone who could do an autopsy.”

“Deaton? I thought he was busy with the wolf?” Mason asked, lifting an eyebrow. 

“He is. But Melissa isn’t.” Liam said. He turned back and gingerly picked up the rat that Malia had dropped, grimacing. “Why does it have to be rats?”

Over an hour later, they were pulling into the parking lot of the Beacon Hills hospital. He grabbed the bag and takeout container they had stopped to pick up for the rat, nodding at Masonas he offered it over. “Let’s do this.” Mason said, smiling weakly as they started to walk inside. The lobby was slammed with patients and Liam tensed, feeling his own emotions spike at the flurry of chemosignals surrounding them. “Ms. McCall?” Mason asked as they approached the busy looking woman at the reception desk. 

“Yeah? Hey.” She perked up as her eyes fell on the bag Mason was holding. “Oh my gosh, you two brought me dinner?” The hope in her voice made Liam’s stomach twist. “That’s really nice.”

“No,” Mason said quickly with a shake of his head. “It’s not dinner.”

“It’s not dinner?” Melissa asked, her expression shifting to one of frustration. She opened the box and immediately closed it, horror washing over her face. “It’s definitely not dinner.”

“We were hoping you could take a look at it for us.” Liam said. 

“Well, I was hoping that someone was going to bring me dinner.” Melissa replied. Liam lowered his gaze, internally cursing himself. Just another way he had fucked things up. “Now is not the time for a rat autopsy,” Melissa began. “So get this and get yourselves out of here.”

“No, but we really-“ Liam tried, taking a half step closer. 

“No. Out.” She said firmly, anger in her eyes. 

“Okay. All right.” Mason said, turning and nodding at Liam. They quickly turned and began to retreat, trying to get away from the nurse and let her get back to work. Liam sighed and pulled out his phone, hastily tapping out a text. “What are you doing?” Mason asked. 

“I asked Josh if he would bring her dinner. I feel awful.” Liam confessed. “Just another thing I’ve screwed up in the past few days.”

“Hey, don’t say that.” Mason said gently. Liam shrugged weakly and put his phone away just as a shout sounded behind them. They turned in unison to see Melissa barking for security and assistance, two men facing off at one another. Liam didn’t think before stepping forward, swallowing hard. He could at least do this for Melissa. 

“Sir, you need to calm down-“ Liam began, frowning as he was punched squarely in the face. He stumbled back and knocked down the other man, hunching over in pain as he cupped his nose. Blood steadily trickled from his nose and he lifted his head, a low rumble escaping him as his fangs dropped. He struggled to draw in breath, clenching his fists hard enough that his claws were painfully piercing his skin. He turned and rushed down the hall, blindly stumbling past a nurse that tried to stop him. He had to escape. “The sun, the moon, the truth.” He said as he rushed for the elevator. Attempting to calm himself, he struggled to draw in breath as he repeated his mantra and jabbed at the button. Whispering it once more, he practically fell into the elevator as the doors open and collapsed into the wall. “The sun, the moon, the truth.” He panted quietly as the doors shut and the machine whirred to life, heading to wherever it had been called to next. 

He stepped out on the next floor and made his way to the stairwell, drawing out his phone as it began to vibrate. “Hey, Mason.” He greeted softly as he pushed open a set of doors. “I’m fine. Sorry I ran off. I’ll meet you in the parking lot.” He said, swallowing hard as he began down the stairs. He turned off his phone and headed to Mason’s car, smiling weakly at him. “You okay?”

“Yeah, didn’t get punched in the fact. You good?” Mason asked. 

“Yeah.” Liam sighed and climbed into the car. “Scott’s right. I’m not doing so well with control right now.”

“Your anchor is gone. It’s a hard adjustment. But you didn’t punch that guy back and I think you did great.” Mason smiled gently. “You want me to drop you off at home?”

“Nah, not if we can still hang out.” Liam said softly. “I’m not ready to face my parents. Still need time to calm down. What are you doing?” He asked. 

“I promised to help lead a study session at the library tonight. I know, I know, classes haven’t even started yet. But we had to read four novels for AP English and we’re bound to have a test in the first few days. So a couple of us said we’d get together and run through the highlights. I’m sure you could tag along.” Mason suggested. 

“It’s better than sitting in the dark at home.” Liam said. “To the school we go.” He buckled in, slumping back in his seat as Mason began to drive. It’s not until they’re climbing out of the car that a thought dawns in him, the doors falling shut. “Hey, what’d you do with that rat?” He asked, walking around the front of the car. 

“I lost it in the fight.” Mason said. “Melissa’s going to kill us.”

“I don’t think we can ever go back there again.” Liam joked, glancing at his best friend. 

“Yeah, that might work for you, but what about me?” Mason huffed a weak laugh. 

“It could be a problem.” Liam admitted, grinning at his best friend. 

“Yeah…” Mason agreed, slowing to a halt as he looked at something past Liam. He frowned and turned his head to see what was there, his heart leaping to his throat. 

“Hey, little wolf.” Theo smiled nervously from where he was leaning up against his truck. He pushed off and approached hesitantly, his hands shoved in his pockets. “Heard you might be here. Your mom wasn’t sure if there was lacrosse practice.”

“You’re home?” Mason asked, stepping forward in front of Liam. “You could have called instead of just showing up.” He added, his voice filled with unbridled anger.

“I tried. Liam’s phone kept going to voicemail.” Theo said softly. “Liam-“

“Now really isn’t a good time.” Liam said, feeling the familiar thrum of anger in his veins. He still hasn’t fully cooled off and he knew he would say something he’d regret. “Mason’s got to study.”

“I’m not just here to talk. I told the library I’d pick up some night shifts so you guys could keep doing after hours study sessions. Not many people volunteered to do it aside from coach.” Theo smiled thinly. “Can I walk with you?”

“No,” Mason snapped before Liam could open his mouth. “I forgot some things in my car. You go ahead.” He grabbed Liam by the wrist, turning them and marching back toward his car. “We’re leaving,” he said firmly. 

“No, you need to study. I can’t just run away from him. He’s my…” Liam swallowed hard, glancing back to where Theo had disappeared inside. “I think he’s still my boyfriend. And it wasn’t his fault, his aunt-“

“Is a shitty excuse and he knows it. He could have tried harder.” Mason insisted. “He hurt you. He ha done so multiple times. Soulmate or not, he’s been shitty to you.”

“He apologised for everything.” Liam reminded, sighing. “Mason. I appreciate what you’re trying to do. Just...let me handle this, okay? You grab your stuff so you can study.”

“The second you feel uncomfortable, we’re leaving.” Mason said firmly. He waited until Liam nodded before unlocking his car, grabbing his backpack. “I’m serious, Liam. I don’t care what he says to you. Don’t make this easy for him. He owes you.”

“Yeah.” Liam agreed softly. They turned and started back toward the building, the doors creaking open. Liam slowed as they reached the main hall, stopping short as he saw Parrish and another man squaring off. He shifted slightly, his arm and shoulder moving protectively in front of Mason. 

“Something you let out.” The man said, low growls escaping him. “It must be stopped.” He repeated, focusing back on Parrish. 

“Is he talking to you?” Mason asked quietly. Liam shrugged, his jaw clenching as he heard his best friend’s heart begin to race. 

“I hope not.” Liam said honestly. Orange eyes flashed and the man burst into flames, Parrish doing the same. “Get behind me,” he ordered as he shuffled Mason back toward the exit. 

“Wait, that’s a…” Mason trailed off, his breath catching. 

“Hellhound.” Liam confirmed. They watched as Parrish and the stranger were locked in combat, Liam’s heart racing alongside of Mason’s. When Parrish was thrown through the doors and didn’t get back up, Liam’s stomach turned to ice. “Run!” He ordered Mason. 

“Wait, I’m not leaving you!” The other boy protested. 

“No, he’s a hellhound. Run!” Liam repeated, letting his fear creep into his voice. Mason huffed in frustration, but his fading footsteps relieved some of Liam’s fear. At least he wouldn’t lose his best friend in all of this. Flicking out his claws, he snarled and threw himself into the hellhound’s path with a roar. As the man fell to his knees, he ripped off a locker door and slammed it into his head. The hellhound snarled and grabbed the locker, throwing Liam up against the lockers and pinning him there. 

“If the Wild Hunt couldn't keep you, nothing can.” The hellhound growled. Liam’s heart thundered in his chest and the hellhound snarled softly, his eyes widening. “No. No, it’s not you.” Liam struggled to draw in breath, fear flooding his senses for the first time. He wasn’t ready to die. And if the hellhound was chasing something from the Wild Hunt...Theo was in danger. He swallowed hard, flinching as Mason attempted to attack with a heavy metal bat. The hellhound melted it as he stopped it, slamming it back against Mason and throwing him back into the lockers. He watched as his best friend fell unconscious and shuddered lightly when Mason took a weak breath. As the hellhound turned back to him, he ducked under the locker door his hold had loosened on and launched himself at the other set of lockers, pushing off of them and coming back with a hard kick. The hellhound stumbled back and he managed to get a few swipes in with his claws, but the hellhound was stronger. He attacked Liam with ferocity, but Liam couldn’t lose this fight. He drew on his strength and anger, the tide turning as he fought back. He threw the hellhound back against the lockers, collapsing back with a gasp as the fire died from around the man. Clutching his stomach, he sank unsteadily to the floor as he struggled to catch his breath. The hellhound chuckled darkly, watching him. “It won’t stay hidden. It must be stopped. Nothing else matters.” He said, holding Liam’s gaze. 

Liam grimaced and closed his eyes, desperate to trigger his healing as pain flared through his abdomen. “The sun,” he breathed out. As Mason began to stir, he let out a pained gasp. “The moon,” he continued with a weak whimper. “The truth,” he finished as Mason’s shoes squeaked on the floor and a warm hand gripped his arm. 

“Liam?” Mason asked. Holding his side, he dropped back against the lockers and looked at his best friend. 

“I’m not healing,” Liam grimaced as he held his chest. The smell of burning flesh made his stomach roll and he let out a pained gasp. “Where did the hellhound go?”

“I don’t know.” Mason said. “We’ve got to get out of here before he comes back.”

“Not without Theo.” Liam said. He slowly pushed off of the lockers, struggling to get onto his feet. “It’s looking for something that escaped the Wild Hunt. He could kill Theo.” Bile rose in his throat at the thought. 

“You can’t protect him like this.” Mason said, standing with a groan. “Come on, we need to move before the study group comes to look for us.”

“Not. Without. Theo.” Liam growled. He took a small step, pitching forward. Mason barely caught him around the waist, struggling to hold him up. “Mason-“

“Dude, you can’t even stand. The hellhound is gone. I’m not losing you.” Mason said firmly. “Now help me get you to the locker room,” he added softly. Slowly, they trudged their way down the hall, Liam steadily dropping blood on the floor as they walked. He focused his senses, breathing slowly as he found the frantic but familiar heartbeat of his soulmate. Theo was still alive. Terrified, but alive. 

-

“Josh,” Theo whined softly into his phone as he picked up another book from the cart to place back on the shelf. “I’ve ruined this. Stop laughing at me.”

“Maybe you deserve it.” The chimera muttered back. “Shit, Theo. You didn’t see how bad he was. He definitely wasn’t eating or sleeping.”

“You’re not making me feel any better. I tried. I screamed at my aunt and my mom fought her on it, but she wouldn’t let me have my phone back. I tried calling from my mom’s phone, even the landline in the house, but then the blizzard hit and we didn’t have service. That’s why I didn’t come back a few days ago. Roads still hadn’t been cleared for us to travel.” Theo slouched against the bookshelf. “He hates me.”

“No, he hates himself right now. He thinks you just decided you didn’t want him anymore. Can you blame him?” Josh asked patiently. The words gutted Theo to the core, tears blurring his vision. He was responsible for this. He’d broken Liam’s heart, shattered all of the trust built between them, and for what? He couldn’t rebuild that in such a short amount of time. That level of trust had taken months to build. Theo was running low on that kind of time. 

“What am I supposed to do? I love him.” Theo whispered. He scrubbed his face against his shoulder, biting down on his up to muffle his cry. “I-“ The words he was going to say next died on his tongue as he heard a roar, one that was achingly familiar. “Liam.” He breathed out. 

“Theo. What was that? What’s happening?” Josh demanded. 

“Liam’s in trouble. I have to go.” Theo said, ending the call. He swallowed hard and pushed himself from the bookshelf, stepping out from between the stacks. Multiple sets of eyes locked on him and he cleared his throat, trying to stay calm. “It’s probably just a mountain lion that wandered too close. I’ll go check it out, you stay here.” He said firmly. “Call the sheriff’s station. Ask for deputy Parrish.” He added, slowly moving toward the door. He summoned his courage and glanced down at the name on his wrist, breathing in deeply. Liam was alive. He could do this. He made his way to the main hall, hand covering his mouth as he saw the dented lockers and scorch marks everywhere. There was a steady trail of blood leading down a different hall and he followed it, swallowing hard as he tried to tell himself there was nothing that was going to jump out and kill him. 

-

Liam gasped in pain as they hobbled into the locker room, struggling to keep moving. “Okay. Okay. Okay.” Mason kept repeating the word, turning the corner slowly. He nearly lost his grip and Liam clenched his jaw, flinching as Mason reached out and steadied his hand against a locker. The sound echoed like a gunshot around them. They went farther into the room and Liam was finally able to sit down, slouching back into the lockers as he took a relieved breath. Mason’s hands fell away from him and Liam groaned, gripping his shirt as pulling it open and away from his torn flesh. Buttons popped off and scattered across the floor, the only sound aside from his own laboured breathing. 

He looked down at the claw marks across his lower stomach and then over his heart up to his shoulder, grimacing. “It should be healing faster than this.” He said, panic settling in. Why wasn’t he healing? Had the hellhound done something more to him?

“It’s hellfire,” Mason reminded. “I mean, all things considered, you’re doing great.” He took a seat beside Liam on the bench, breath leaving in a whoosh as he touched his injured side. 

“Well, great isn’t supposed to look like this.” Liam said flatly. 

“You fought a hellhound on your own, without Scott.” Mason said, awe in his voice as he turned to face Liam. 

“I don’t know when I’ll get used to that.” Liam admitted, his nostrils flaring slightly. He reached up and touched his scorched flesh, withdrawing with a frustrated growl as pain flared through his chest. 

“Wounds heal.” Mason said softly. “And people leave.” He didn't have to be told who he was talking about. “Things change.”

“Yeah. But it still hurts, though.” Liam said as his shoulders slumped forward. He drew in another sharp breath, grimacing. Mason reached for his hand and he squeezed it tightly, black lines traveling up his arm for a moment. 

“Dude, no.” Mason growled as he snatched his hand back. “I’m fine. Bruised, but fine.”

“You’re hurting. I can take it.” Liam insisted, turning his head to look at him. Footsteps sounded from outside and he struggled to get up, bringing out his claws. “Stay back,” he growled in warning. 

“Liam? Oh, thank fuck.” Theo’s voice reached him as the other boy entered the locker room. He hurried back to them, his eyes going wide as he saw Liam’s wounds. “Liam-“

“Did you see where the hellhound went?” Liam asked, dropping back down onto the bench. 

“I...no, I didn’t see anyone else. Fuck, Liam. What happened?” Theo asked, kneeling down in front of him. “You’re not healing.”

“I got into a fight with a hellhound. I’m lucky I’m not dead.” Liam snorted bitterly. He immediately regretted the words as Theo flinched back. Tears welled up in his favorite green eyes and he sighed, reaching forward with shaky fingers. “Sorry.”

“No. I’m the one who is sorry.” Theo said, grasping him firmly by the hand. “Liam, I’ll get down on my knees and apologize to you a million times if that’s what it takes. But you have got to heal. I can’t lose you, okay?” Theo’s voice cracked and Liam exhaled shakily, nodding his head. 

“I’m trying. It hurts.” He admitted, wincing as he shifted to get more comfortable. 

“I know. Sunshine, you have to find something else to focus on. Isn’t that how it works?” Theo whispered. Liam looked down at him and nodded weakly, squeezing his hand back. He let himself concentrate on Theo’s heart, listening to the erratic pace that usually calmed him. Even weak and out of sync, it was proof that Theo was still alive. His eyes flashed yellow and he groaned, tilting his head back as his wounds began to heal. He breathed deeply as Theo’s thumb stroked over his wrist, blocking out everything else as he concentrated on his soulmate. His skin was starting to knit itself back together, slowly sealing his wounds. He tightened his hold on Theo’s hand as the last scratch above his stomach began to fade, leaving behind a thin red line that was already fading. “See? You did it.” Theo whispered. 

“You helped.” Liam said softly. “We need to get out of here before the hellhound comes back. He’s looking for something from the Wild Hunt. You could be next.” 

“I have to go back to the library. Everyone there was freaking out.” Theo replied gently. “But I can shut down and lock up for the night. Pretty sure we’ll have to call someone about the hall. There was a lot of damage. Might not even have school tomorrow.”

“One can only hope.” Liam smiled weakly. “You’re really okay?” He asked softly. 

“Better now that I know you’re okay.” Theo said, freeing his hand. He leaned forward, cupping Liam’s cheek. “I was terrified you weren’t going to make it.”

“I did.” Liam leaned into the touch, drawing in a shaky breath. “You’re an idiot for coming after me. You could have been hurt.”

“Doesn’t matter. You were in danger.” Theo’s thumb swept over his skin, gently catching his lip. “First day back and you’re already in trouble. I can’t leave you for a second, can I?”

“As annoyingly cute as you two are, we should probably go before the hellhound comes back. Or the students think you’ve been eaten.” Mason said grudgingly. Theo dropped his hand instantly and nodded, getting up. Liam stood, grimacing as he looked down at his ruined shirt and soot covered skin. 

“Probably shouldn’t go out there like this.” He said, sighing. “Can you grab a jersey from my locker?” It was probably gross from his practice a couple of days back, but he needed to take it home and do laundry anyways. Mason nodded and stepped around the corner, rifling through a locker for a moment. He tossed a gray jersey around a moment later and Liam caught it, pulling it over his head. “Thanks.” He said, wrinkling his nose from the stale sweat. 

“Don’t worry. You and Mason can sneak out through here. I’ll meet up with you in the parking lot. Or not, if you want to go home.” Theo added quickly. 

“I should probably take Liam home to shower and rest.” Mason cut in, giving Theo a sharp look. 

“Actually, I want to wait.” Liam said softly. “Can I have the keys to the truck? I can wait out there.”

“Gladly.” Theo pulled the set from his pocket, pressing them gently into Liam’s hand. “I’ll be there soon.” He promised, offering a smile before turning and taking a step away. Liam watched him take a shuddering breath, his chest aching. “Fuck it,” Theo muttered as he spun back around. He grabbed Liam by the shoulders, hauling him in and kissing him hard on the mouth. Liam went perfectly still in response and Theo internally cursed, starting to draw back. Breathing out, Liam softly returned the kiss and pulled back with a weak smile. 

“Later,” he promised. “Be careful.” He said, reaching up and squeezing Theo’s arm. 

“I always am.” Theo grinned and stepped back, nodding. He turned and left the room, leaving Mason and Liam in silence. The beta closed his eyes and counted to ten before turning to find his best friend watching him.

“Don’t,” he pleaded softly as they started to leave the locker room. “Don’t even say it.”

“I’m not saying a damn thing.” Mason said, opening the back door. “But if he hurts you again, I’m punching him. I didn’t last time, but this time I will.” He warned as they trudged around the building, making their way back to the parking lot. 

“I know, Mase.” Liam smiled weakly. “Thanks for always having my back.”

“If I don’t, you’ll do something even stupider.” Mason shrugged as he pulled out the keys for his car. “You sure you don’t want a ride home with me?”

“No. Theo and I...we need to talk. We need to clear the air.” Liam said. “I’ll be okay. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“You’d better.” Mason warned as he pointed a stern finger at him. “I’ll come banging on your door if you don’t.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” Liam smiled softly at his best friend. He waited until Mason was safely in his car and leaving the parking lot before he unlocked the truck, turning to face it. “Gah!” He scowled at Josh who was leaning across the hood, his expression one of thinly veiled fury. “What are you doing here?”

“Me? What am I doing here?” Josh hissed. “What the fuck was Theo doing here? Why did you let him get close to danger like that? I thought he was dead!”

“What are you talking about? Did the hellhound come back?” Liam asked, his eyes widening. 

“The-What the fuck, there was a hellhound?” Josh snarled. “Theo fucking called me in tears because he was fucking things up with you and then I heard a roar and Theo saying you were in some kind of trouble. That asshole hung up on me. What was I supposed to think was happening?” He didn’t wait for an answer, ripping open the driver’s door and climbing into the truck. Liam frowned and climbed in beside him, groaning softly as he settled into the seat. “How bad are you hurt?” Josh asked, glancing over at him. 

“Scratches healed. Everything else still hurts.” Liam admitted. Josh nodded and reached over, taking his hand. He didn’t say a word as black lines crawled over his skin, turning to look out the windshield. “Thanks. And thanks for coming to make sure he was okay.”

“He’s still my best friend. An idiot, an absolute moron, but I care about him. Care about you, too.” Josh muttered as he dropped Liam’s hand. “It’s exhausting and annoying.”

”Having feelings can be hard.” Liam said, closing his eyes. “So what were you up to when Theo called you?” The chimera breathed a sigh of relief at the subject change and Liam smiled to himself. 

“I was helping Lori with some homework. She started school last week, same as Brett. Fucking hates her science classes.” Josh told him. “She understood why I had to go, said she’d tell her brother for me. I won’t be surprised if he’s at my place when I go home.”

“Does he have a key?” Liam asked. His eyes widened when Josh nodded, breath leaving in a soft whoosh. “But you guys have been together a couple of months,” he murmured. 

“Doesn’t matter. Things don’t move for us the way they do for everyone else.” Josh drummed his fingers lightly against the steering wheel. “Fuck. I could use a smoke right now.” He muttered, scrubbing a hand tiredly over his face. 

“You smoke?” Liam asked, raising an eyebrow at him. 

“Did for a bit. Then I went to hell. Haven’t since I came back, but that’s mostly because of Theo. Can’t smoke when his lungs and his heart are so weak. Don’t need to trigger an asthma attack.” Josh sighed quietly. “But it’s okay. I’m not addicted. I don’t have to have it.” He straightened up a little, tracking movement outside of the truck. Liam lifted his head to find Theo walking toward them, looking surprised as he saw Josh waiting in his seat. The chimera rolled his shoulders back and shoved the door open, sliding from his seat. He crossed to the human in two easy strides and Liam didn’t see it coming. His fist connected with Theo’s jaw, sending him sprawling back across the pavement. 

“Josh!” Liam scrambled out of the truck, growling low in his chest as he hurried to help Theo up. “What the fuck was that for?” He snarled. 

“That was for hanging up on me and scaring me half to death.” Josh said, baring human teeth as he glowered down at Theo. “If you ever scare me like that again, I’m ripping your throat out. It’s not okay, Raeken. At all.”

“Noted.” Theo winced, gingerly touching his jaw. He batted at Liam’s hand as he tried to take the pain, shaking his head. “Don’t. I deserve this.” He said simply.

“Shut the fuck up and let him help you. You two are going to go home and talk and work this shit out.” Josh said, his nostrils flaring. “Now get out of here and go put some ice on that so it doesn’t bruise so badly.”

“Josh?” Theo asked, taking a hesitant step closer. The chimera furrowed his brows as the human walked over, cautiously wrapping his arms around him. He exhaled and hugged him back, burying his face briefly against Theo’s neck. “I’m sorry I hung up on you.” Theo whispered against his shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you back.”

“I know you are.” Josh sighed and let go of him, gently nudging him back a step. “Go with Liam, okay? I’ll check on both of you tomorrow.” He smiled weakly at the pair of them before he turned, strolling across the parking lot toward his car. Theo nodded and glanced at Liam, who wordlessly climbed back into the truck and waited for him. He followed and accepted the keys, starting the vehicle and glancing at Liam. 

“Back to your place?” He asked gently. 

“Yeah. I need to shower and get cleaned up.” Liam said, pulling a face. Theo nodded in understanding and began to drive, a heavy silence filling the space between them. Each time one opened their mouth to try and talk, they ended up sighing and dropping it. Theo felt like he was aimlessly waiting on a mine field, knowing the next step was sure to tear him apart. It would be exactly what he deserved. As he pulled into an empty driveway, he glanced over at the beta for an explanation. “Dad is working and mom is probably out with her friends. You can come in.” He added, opening the door for the truck and climbing out. He didn’t wait for Theo’s heart clenched as he cut the engine, trailing slowly after him and into the silent house. 

“You want something to eat after you shower?” Theo asked, hesitating at the bottom of the stairwell. Liam turned from the top to look down at him, slowly shaking his head. Theo’s expression dropped and Liam sighed, holding out his hand. 

“I want my boyfriend to come with me.” Liam said softly. Theo made his way quickly up the stairs, grabbing Liam’s outstretched hand. Together they walked to his bedroom and into the bathroom, where Liam let go of his hand to undress. Theo hesitated, watching until he saw Liam struggling to pull the jersey off. He grabbed the hem and helped to lift it up over the werewolf’s head, sucking in a breath as he saw the bruises on Liam’s sides. Liam turned to start the shower and he saw the same purple markings across his back, dark splotches over his skin. “Is it really that bad?” Liam asked, glancing back over his shoulder. 

“A lot of bruising. Why didn’t it heal?” Theo asked, hesitantly reaching forward. His fingers ghosted over one of the marks and he watched the muscles flutter in response. 

“Hellhound gave it to me. People think we heal all at once, but that’s not always true. Sometimes it’s just the surface that heals. I focused on the wounds closing so I didn’t bleed to death. These will be gone after I sleep.” Liam shrugged lightly, wincing with the movement. “Why are you still dressed?”

“You want me to join you?” Theo asked, surprise coloring his voice. 

“I need your help.” Liam said honestly, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. He stepped into the shower and groaned softly, drawing the curtain forward. Theo wasted no time stripping down, pausing as he took a step toward the shower. He turned to the sink and opened the medicine cabinet, smiling fondly as he saw his contact solution and lens case. He removed his contacts and set them off to the side. After, he stepped in the shower behind Liam, pulling the curtain completely shut so cold air didn’t get them. 

“Can we finally talk about this?” Theo asked softly, waiting for Liam to turn and face him. “I screwed up, but I can’t make up for it if you don’t let me in. Talk to me. Fuck, scream at me if you need to. Please don’t shut me out.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Liam confessed, dropping his gaze to Theo’s bare chest. “I hated not hearing from you for two weeks. I started thinking about everything I’d done wrong. I kept thinking maybe you just didn’t want me anymore.” He swallowed around the tightness in his throat, looking up with tearful eyes. “I thought about when you broke up with me and it was like I was here all over again, packing up all of your stuff. I hurt.” 

“Liam-“

“I’m not done yet.” He held up his hand, struggling to speak for a moment. “I’ve got less than two years with you. Every moment I don’t spend with you is a glimpse of the rest of my life. I hate it. Not being able to talk to you...it was almost like you were already gone. Your scent was fading from everything here and I felt like I’d lost you. I don’t know how I’m supposed to be okay when you die. I don’t know how I’m supposed to just keep going and be okay like everyone else, like Scott, like Josh, even like Brett. They’ve all managed to move on from their soulmates and I can’t imagine that. I don’t want that. These two weeks have shown me that I’m never going to be ready to lose you. I love you.” His expression crumpled, tears streaming down his face. Theo said nothing, only opened his arms and drew him in against his chest as he broke down sobbing. They clung to each other, no other words passing between them as they broke down and cried together. 

Eventually, the water around them started to turn cold and brought them back to reality. Liam quickly scrubbed the dirt and grime from his chest and stomach, letting Theo carefully tend to his back and his face. They were both shivering as they stepped from the shower, Theo grabbing a couple of towels from beneath the sink. He helped Liam dry off, nudging him to go ahead and get dressed while he picked up their clothing from the floor. He cleaned up and joined his boyfriend in the bedroom, smiling as he saw Liam wearing one of Theo’s shirts and a pair of boxers. He pulled his own boxers back on and a fresh shirt from Liam’s dresser, climbing into bed beside him. “You don’t want to eat?” He asked, settling down into the mattress. 

“No. I’ve been tired all day.” Liam said. His stomach would hate him in the morning, but he needed the rest. He wanted to be wrapped around his soulmate for a while, re familiarizing himself with his scent. “Are you hungry?” He asked, worriedly looking back at Theo. 

“We ate on our way in from the airport.” Theo said with a shake of his head. “Liam. You don’t have to pretend everything is okay right now. If you still need to yell and tell me off, please do so.”

“I just want you to hold me.” Liam whispered, shuffling closer. He settled his head on Theo’s shoulder, sliding his hand gently over his chest to rest over his heart as it always did. “I’m tired of being upset. I know you would have contacted me if you could. I was just scared of the worst.”

“I should have fought harder. I’m sorry.” Theo whispered, pressing a kiss to his hair. “I thought about you every single day. I even wrote you these letters, telling you everything that happened since I couldn’t talk to you. I’ve got them in my luggage, I can get them for you tomorrow.” He promised, rubbing a hand carefully down Liam’s back. 

“You wrote me letters?” Liam asked, tilting his head to look up at him. 

“I did. I’ve got other things for you, too. We went shopping on our first day and picked up lots of souvenirs in town. I got something for everyone.” Theo smiled and leaned in, kissing him softly. Liam gently kissed back, feeling a peace that had been absent since Theo’s departure. He broke the kiss and settled back into him, his eyes falling shut as he took a deep breath. 

“I love you. Next time you have to leave, I’m going with you. I’m not sure I can do this again.” Liam whispered. 

“There won’t be a next time. I’m not going anywhere, little wolf. Promise.” Theo murmured. “I love you, sunshine. I’m going to spend every bit of my last days with you. So much that you’ll be sick of me.”

“Never going to happen.” Liam whispered. Theo’s hand covered his own and their fingers laced, hands holding each other tightly. “I’m sorry I was so mad at you.”

“You were upset and had a lot going on. I don’t blame you.” Theo whispered. “But I don’t want to fight with you anymore. Not now, not ever. I’m not losing more time with you.” 

“Deal.” Liam smiled weakly. He tilted his head up, nose pressing into Theo’s neck as he inhaled his comforting scent. It was tainted with medicine, but it was good enough for now. He heard Theo whisper he loved him again before falling asleep, letting his dreams drag him under. 

Liam didn’t sleep through the night. He would have had it not been for the erratic jump in Theo’s heartbeat in the middle of the night. It thrummed beneath his hand, dragging him from slumber into full alertness. Lifting himself up, he peered down at Theo in the dark and realized the other boy was still asleep. He was pale with terror, his knuckles white where they were gripping the sheets like a lifeline. “Theo?” He murmured, hesitantly placing a hand on his shoulder. His skin was sticky with sweat and he drew in a labored breath that made Liam’s hair stand on end. Theo’s heart jumped again and Liam whined, feeling helpless as he stared down at his soulmate caught in the throes of a nightmare. “Theo, wake up. Please, wake up.” He pleaded softly as he stroked his fingers over Theo’s skin. “You’re safe with me, come on. There’s nothing to be afraid of, it’s just us.” He whispered, feeling sick as Theo’s heart starting racing faster and faster. 

Then it stopped. 

For a sickening moment, Liam’s entire world tilted on its axis and the ground threatened to cave from beneath him. Tears pricked at his eyes and he let out a choked noise, struggling to breathe. He worked his mouth open to scream for help, but Theo bolted upright with a gasp. His heart began to race again, thundering in his chest, and Liam let out a sob of relief. Theo’s hand found his immediately, gripping it so hard he could feel his fingers starting to go numb, but he didn’t care. Theo wasn’t dead. He hadn’t lost his soulmate, not yet. Swallowing hard, he pulled Theo into his arms and held him tight as the other boy shuddered against him. “Theo, you’re okay. You’re safe.” He repeated, feeling helpless. How was he supposed to stop a nightmare?

“I’m sorry,” Theo whispered against his neck as he curled himself into Liam’s lap. Liam shook his head and rubbed circles down his back, whispering words of love and comfort as he held his trembling boyfriend. It took a few minutes for the overwhelming stench of fear to dissipate, for Theo’s heart to calm back down to a better level. Liam waited patiently for Theo to open up, knowing there was nothing else he could say. “I’m still having nightmares about her,” he admitted weakly. 

“About who?” Liam asked, scratching his fingers through the hair at the base of Theo’s neck. 

“Tara. She’s still after my heart. Mr. Douglas is still trying to kill me. Sometimes it’s just a nameless shadow.” Theo shrugged weakly, sucking in another breath. “They’ve been pretty bad the past couple of weeks. I thought...I thought they’d go away.” He admitted weakly.

“They will. I’ll make sure of it.” Liam whispered, knowing it was a promise that he wasn’t sure he could keep. “Your heart…” he started hesitantly, unsure of how to ask. 

“It’s getting worse.” Theo admitted, swallowing audibly. “Hurts more than it doesn’t. I’ve got an appointment with my specialist tomorrow, I think. We had it made before I left, it was just a routine check in. Mom thinks we need to up the dosage on my medicine again.” He sighed, pulling back to look Liam in the eye. “I was going to tell you. But we’ve had such a long day-“

“You should have told me.” Liam cut him off, shaking his head. “I can’t waste time being angry with you. Not...not when you’re getting worse.” 

“I’ve still got two years.” Theo said, trying to smile. It looked more like a grimace. 

“There’s no guarantee. Theo…”

“I know. Fuck, can we not do this? I don’t know how many times we have to keep reminding each other that I’m dying.” Theo rubbed at his eyes, laughing weakly. “I just want to go back to sleep and cuddle with my amazing werewolf boyfriend. No more nightmares, no more sadness, just us cuddling. Please?” His voice cracked sharply and they both flinched. 

“I don’t think I know how to stop being sad.” Liam admitted. He loosened his hold on Theo, easing back down onto the bed before pulling the human down on top of him. “But I can definitely cuddle you.” 

“That’s the spirit.” Theo said, tilting his head up to softly kiss Liam’s jaw. “I’m sad, too. I just...I can’t let it drown me. I want to be happy with you for the rest of my time, okay?”

“Sounds good.” Liam whispered, his heart cracking with the words. They were lying to themselves, but what else were they supposed to do? Theo’s time was running short, they had known that. Here, holding Theo in the dark of his bedroom, he reminded himself that he would do whatever it took to make Theo happy. If that meant graduating senior year and taking a year off from college to spend every waking moment with Theo, he would do it. If it meant moving across the country for Theo to have the best heart doctors to extend his time, he would follow him. There was nowhere Theo would go that Liam wouldn’t follow him. Even if it ended up with both of them in the grave. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

“Liam,” Jenna’s voice filtered through the door and he groaned softly. He rubbed his face against his pillow, reaching blindly for the covers and tugging them up to his chin. “Liam, honey. There’s no school today. Mason said he called you but you didn’t answer. I have to go to work, I love you.”

“Love you,” he said loud enough for her to hear. He listened to her chuckle and head downstairs, rolling over and reaching for his soulmate. The sheets were cold and empty beside him. “Theo?” He opened his eyes, looking around the room. Where was he? Had he dreamed all of it? Nausea swooped through him at the thought of conjuring up such a beautiful dream and a nightmare all at once. “Mom?” He raised his voice, struggling to climb out of bed with the sheets tangled around his waist. He threw open his bedroom door and rushed downstairs, stumbling to a halt in the kitchen.

“Hey, stranger.” Jenna smiled as she picked up her coffee cup from the counter. “You okay?”

“Hey, mom.” Liam swallowed hard and shook his head, letting his gaze drift to Theo cooking at the stove. “Nothing. Just...nothing.” He said softly.

“Theo’s just finished telling me about his family vacation. I knew Jonathan’s sister Irma was crazy, Connie’s told me a million stories about her.” Jenna clicked her tongue. “You two behave today, okay?”

“You got it.” Theo smiled over his shoulder at her. Liam didn’t move until she was gone, the sound of the lock clicking spurring him into action. He crossed the kitchen in two strides, wrapping his arms tight around Theo from behind. “Hey, you okay?” Theo asked, settling one hand gently over Liam’s arm.

“Thought I’d just dreamed last night. You weren’t there when I woke up.” Liam admitted, hiding his face between Theo’s shoulder blades. “Have you been up for long?”

“Yeah. I had a hard time falling back asleep. Plus I needed to go home and get my medicine for this morning. Mom was kind of pissed that I forgot to tell her I was here. I’m lucky she didn’t decide to ground me for life.” Theo said, sighing. “I was going to crawl back into bed, but I thought you might be hungry when you woke up.”

“I appreciate it.” Liam said, closing his eyes and breathing in his scent. “But after, we should go back to bed and cuddle. I don’t have school today.” He said, grinning and rubbing his cheek against Theo’s shirt. “Which means I can spend my day with you. At least until you have your appointment.”

“Shouldn’t take too long. I’ll come back after my appointment.” Theo replied, stroking his fingers gently along Liam’s arm.

“No, you won’t.” Liam said as he loosened his hold and took a small step back. “You’re always tired after your appointments and you usually need a nap. You can text me after and, if you’re up for it, I can come and visit you. But you need your rest.” He reminded patiently. It pained him to say it, but he knew that Theo would push himself too hard if he allowed the other boy to decide. Theo would lie and say he was fine and Liam wouldn’t be able to argue without it turning into an ugly fight. He had to play this carefully. “After you’ve napped some, we can go out to dinner. Just us, if you want.” He murmured softly. Theo nodded slightly, keeping his back to him as he dished out bacon and eggs onto the plate beside him. “We can go to the diner and split a milkshake.”

“Can we invite our friends?” Theo asked as he reached for the burners, cutting them off. “I need to apologize to everyone. I...I know I should do it one on one, but I…” his shoulders slumped and he turned, looking at Liam with glassy green eyes. “They’re all mad at me, aren’t they?”

“It really isn’t your fault.” Liam said, stepping forward again to pull Theo back into his arms. His fingers tangled into the hair at the base of his neck as Theo’s head slumped down onto his shoulder. “Hey, sh, it’s okay. Once you’ve explained it all, I’m sure they’ll understand. They just need to hear it from you.”

“It won’t fix anything. I still fucked up. I still broke us.” Theo whispered against his shirt, his body trembling slightly. “How can I expect them to forgive me? You thought that you’d done something wrong and that I was going to break up with you again. _I_ did that. I broke us. I’m the one that put that stupid fucking doubt inside of your head and made you feel like I’d leave you if I had the chance. I can’t ever take that back. I hate myself for it.” He admitted. Liam swallowed hard as tears soaked his shirt, closing his eyes as he squeezed Theo tight.

“You didn’t break us-”

“Don’t. Don’t lie to me, okay? I did. I was awful to you when you were trying to be a good boyfriend. I used every insecurity against you because it was easier than facing my own problems. I should have fucking talked to you, but I chose to ice you out. I thought it would be easier than going through everything and knowing I was always going to lose you anyways. Don’t tell me we’re okay because we aren’t. You can’t forgive me. How can you when I can’t even forgive myself?” Theo asked. Liam kept his silence at that, not knowing what to say. He’d thought he’d forgiven Theo weeks back. Despite what Brett had said at the diner, Liam wasn’t so sure that he was still aching from residual pain and not being able to forget. Maybe he really hadn’t forgiven Theo for his actions.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.” Liam confessed softly, wetting his lips as he searched for the right thing to say. Were there even words that could describe everything he was feeling in that moment? “You’re right, I think. We’re still broken. Maybe we aren’t completely okay like we’ve been pretending that we are. We never...we didn’t really talk about what happened. We cried, we made love, and then we went on like everything was normal. It didn’t really do us any favors.” He rubbed his hand carefully down Theo’s back, pressing in gently against the dip in his spine. “We buried everything. I thought I’d forgiven you. I’m not so sure that I really have. I think I can, if you just give me some time.”

“I’m running low on that.” Theo reminded quietly, lifting his head up to meet hurt blue eyes. “I don’t mean for that to sound like you have to forgive me immediately. That’s not...I don’t want that.”

“I know. And that’s why I think I wanted to ignore this issue for so long. I just kept telling myself things were okay, that they had to be okay _because_ I knew you had two years. Have,” Liam corrected himself. “You have two years.”

“Let’s stop lying, little wolf. I’ve got half of that, maybe. I’m getting worse and you can hear it the way I feel it. I’m not getting any better and I’m not going to have a heart transplant before the end. There’s too many names ahead of mine on the list.” Theo sighed, rubbing his thumb gently against the side of Liam’s neck. “But we have today, we have until my appointment and then we’ll have dinner. So let’s talk. Let’s clear the air as much as we can in the time that we have. I don’t want to waste my time pretending we’re okay and letting this anger and this frustration build between us. I don’t want you to be bitter and...and hate me when I’m gone.”

“I’d never-”

“Not intentionally.” Theo smiled sadly. “But a part of you will always hold that against me. So we need to talk this out and make sure we have a million other memories to combat all the bad ones. I don’t want you hurting like you were while I was gone. I don’t want you to doubt my love for you for a second. So you’re going to eat your breakfast and I’m going to watch and make stupid jokes with you. Then we’re going to have a real talk. Deal?”

“We have a deal.” Liam nodded and leaned forward, softly pressing a kiss to the corner of Theo’s mouth. “But what about you? Did you have breakfast?”

“I did. Mom made me eat before she let me walk back over here. I told you she was worried.” Theo chuckled softly. “If you grab your plate, I’ll pour you a glass of orange juice and be right up.” He said, stepping back and turning to rummage through the cupboard.

“Thanks.” Liam smiled and took his plate, lightly salting and peppering his eggs. He headed up to his room, smiling as he heard Theo not far behind. He sat down in the middle of his bed and took his first bite of breakfast, glancing up as Theo entered the room. “Were you serious about telling jokes?” He asked as his boyfriend sat down across from him, cradling the glass of orange juice in his hands.

“Well, I thought it would make you smile. Why?” Theo raised an eyebrow.

“Because you’re awful at telling jokes. You aren’t funny.” Liam said bluntly, fighting back a smile at Theo’s gasp of mock outrage. “Why don’t you tell me about your family instead? We haven’t had a chance to talk about your trip.”

“Well, you’ve already heard about my crazy aunt.” Theo snorted softly. “But I guess I could tell you about my grandparents and my cousins. They’re in pretty good health.” He launched into a series of stories about the family reunion, outlining familiar relations and names that went mostly above Liam’s head. It was soothing to hear Theo talk with such life, a smile taking over his face as he watched his boyfriend. Theo talked to him for what felt like hours about sledding in the snow against Connie’s wishes with his younger cousins, playing with the family cat in the cabin, and how he spent each night in front of the fireplace, listening to his grandfather talk about his childhood while he wrote his letters to Liam. He knew he had used the topic as a distraction, as a way to put off talking about what was really going on between them, but it was worth it to see Theo’s entire being light up. Reality could wait just a little longer.

Theo finally got to the ride back to the airport and stealing the phone from his aunt, bringing them back to the present. Liam’s chest tightened as silence settled over them like a blanket. Neither of them wanted to break the moment, the careful sliver of peace that existed between them. They were at the precipice of a cliff, waiting to see who took the first leap of faith. Liam closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. It looked as though he would have to be the one to broach the ugly subject. “It hurt like hell while you were gone.” He admitted, looking up to meet Theo’s eyes. “I felt like you’d broken up with me all over again and I just didn’t get the memo. I’m not...it’s not that I don’t get that wasn’t entirely your fault. But I worried about you. Your family knows you’re sick. They know you’ve got a soulmate. Why wouldn’t they let you call me? Why didn’t your mom explain things?” He finally asked, taking his careful time crafting his thoughts together.

“Because even if I’m dying, I’m still just a teenager to them. Being in love...they don’t understand the connection you and I have. They’re old-fashioned, think you have to court for months before you know if they’re really the one. Soulmate name or not.” Theo said softly. “To them, you were...you were an excuse. I was just throwing a tantrum because I couldn’t talk to my boyfriend and I should have been spending that time with my family. My mom tried, but it was a losing battle. My dad didn’t want to get involved since it wasn’t his side of the family. It got ugly. By the time I’d stolen my phone back and checked it out, there was no service because of the snowstorm that had started to move in. So we were trapped on the mountain for a little bit longer than intended and I couldn’t get in touch. My mom tried, Liam. It wasn’t…” Theo swallowed hard, tears filling his eyes. He wiped quickly at them, a shuddering breath escaping him as his body shook. He retreated as Liam reached for him, hastily dabbing at his eyes again. “No. Don’t...please. We said we’d talk. This...if you comfort me, I’m going to start sobbing and I don’t know if I’ll stop. Keep talking. Please.” He begged softly.

“Okay.” Liam swallowed past the lump in his throat, stiffly nodding his head. “Let’s go back to the night you broke up with me. You threw every insecurity I had in my face. Everything I told you in confidence. You knew I was worried about becoming alpha when Scott leaves for college. You said that the town would fall apart and it would be my fault. You told me the only thing I was good at was getting angry. You _know_ how much I struggle with my IED. Everything we built together, you tore apart in minutes. I trusted you. I really, _really_ want to hate you for it sometimes. How am I supposed to forgive you for saying all of the things that are true? That’s the worst part. They weren’t lies. They were my biggest fears. And you brought them to light and just showed me that they weren’t just shadows. They were my reality. If you could see it, could see every fault in me, then so could everyone else. And I hurt and it hasn’t stopped hurting, not fully. I don’t know if it will.” Liam whispered. Theo’s face scrunched in pain, agony rippling over his expression. His jaw clenched tightly and Liam fisted his hands against his thighs, chest aching as he watched his soulmate.

“You’re right. I wanted you to hate me. I took everything you ever confessed and rubbed your face in it. I broke your heart because I thought the heartbreak would be easier than the heartbreak of watching me die. That day you came to return all of my belongings...that was the best and worst day of my life. I got you back. I got to hold you again and kiss you and love you when I thought I’d never have the chance again. But not until I saw what my actions had done to you. It was awful, Liam. You hadn’t slept, you were a wreck, and I was healthy. Healthier than I’d been in weeks. The look on your face that day still haunts me. I did that to you and there aren’t enough apologies in the world to fix what I said. I can’t make any of it go away. I pushed every button I could. I can sit here and talk until I’m blue in the face about how you’re going to be an amazing alpha after Scott goes to college, but I can’t take away the doubt I put there first. I don’t know what to say. How am I supposed to make any of this right?” Theo asked, his voice cracking as he looked desperately at Liam. “I can’t just rebuild your trust overnight. It’s clear that you haven’t forgiven me and I can’t forgive myself for hurting you. I did more than break our relationship, I ruined our friendship. It’s the foundation of what we built this relationship on. I don’t know how to come back from this.”

“I’m not so sure that we can.” Liam admitted, swallowing hard. Theo’s breath stuttered, his heart starting to race in response. “This is just one of those things that needs time to heal, Theo. There’s no quick fix. No apology or grand gesture that’s going to rebuild my trust in you. It just takes time.” He explained, cautiously reaching out his hand. “It doesn’t mean I want to give up on us. I still love you.”

“And I love you.” Theo replied, latching onto his hand with a vice like grip. “But Liam, we both know time is the one thing that we’re short on.” He said softly, looking down. “So I have to ask. Do we just call it quits now? Or will you let me spend the rest of my days proving to you that I love you? That everything I said then was a lie and I regret it more than anything.”

“All we can do is try.” Liam said, reaching forward with his other hand. He pulled Theo to him, gently maneuvering them until his soulmate was curled up in his lap, head resting against his chest. He rubbed his hand soothingly down Theo’s back, shushing him gently as tears wet his shirt. His own were dripping steadily down onto Theo’s hair, the two clinging to each other as they wept for different reasons. Liam wept for the time being stolen from them and Theo for ruining the one thing that mattered the most to him during a reckless moment. Time seemed to stand still, holding them captive in a bubble where they were able to simply be together.

Eventually Theo pulled back, pressing a shaky kiss to Liam’s jaw. He sniffled and wiped at his eyes, letting out a weak laugh as Liam offered him a sad smile. “Don’t look at me like that. You look like a kicked puppy.” He said, nudging his elbow gently into Liam’s stomach. “Are you busy today?” He asked, wiping at his eyes again.

“I was just going to go to the gym while you were at the doctor,” Liam shrugged lightly. “Nothing big planned. Since we’ve got the day off from school, I was just going to be lazy.”

“Think you could take a day off?” Theo asked, biting down on his lip. He took a deep breath, lifting his gaze boldly to Liam’s. “I was hoping maybe you’d like to go to the doctor with me.”

“Really?” Liam asked, trying not to sound too surprised. He’d offered to go once or twice in the past, but Theo had always brushed him off and said it wasn’t a good idea or it wasn’t going to be anything worth seeing. The invitation was an olive branch and he was eager to grab on. “I’d like that.”

“It’s mostly going to be tests, some endurance stuff and bloodwork. We’ll probably talk about getting my medicine changed again and I’ll be told a lie about how I seem to be doing okay. The usual.” Theo said. “I could really use the company and it might make mom...well, it might help her not cry so much.” He admitted softly. Liam’s heart constricted at the thought. He’d never considered how hard it must be for Theo to watch his parents fall apart, especially during every doctor’s visit with news that was less than ideal.

“I’ll be there.” Liam promised, kissing the side of his head. Theo nodded and settled his head back against Liam’s shoulder, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes again.

“I wish I was a werewolf.” Theo said softly, sliding his hand up Liam’s chest and settling his palm flat over his heart. “The scent thing must be really nice.”

“You have no idea.” Liam chuckled, burying his nose against Theo’s hair. “It’s not just that. It’s being able to pick your heartbeat out of a crowd, knowing that wherever you go, I’m always going to be able to find you. I’m completely attuned to you.” He tightened his arms around Theo, taking a moment to savor him in his arms. “About the whole werewolf thing...I was talking to Scott.”

“And you wanted to know if he’ll bite me.” Theo said, exhaling slowly. “You want to know if I’m okay with that, right? Taking that chance?”

“Yeah. I’m sure he wants to talk to you about it.” Liam slid his hand down Theo’s arm, sighing softly. “It wouldn’t be an option until you’re worse. And it’s your choice. I just...I thought maybe it could be an option.”

“Be hard to explain to everyone if I got the bite and miraculously recovered.” Theo huffed out a weak laugh. “I’ll think about it, okay? That’s the best I can offer. It’s not that being a werewolf wouldn’t be cool as hell. But that’s a lot to consider. I just really don’t want to get my hopes up.” He confessed softly. “We’ve talked about it before. I just need to look at this realistically.”

“I understand. I don’t blame you for wanting to think it over. But the offer will stay on the table.” Liam promised, hugging him tightly. Silence settled between them and he listened to Theo’s heartbeat, trying to commit it to his memory. They stayed wrapped in each other until the alarm on Theo’s phone went off, alerting them that it was time to start getting ready. Liam took him by the hand and let him into the shower, promising to keep his hands to himself as they stripped down and into the warm spray. Half an hour later, Liam was riding in the backseat of Connie’s car, meeting Theo’s gaze through the mirror with a soft smile. He reached forward and set a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently through the thin material of his shirt. Theo’s hand slowly covered his own, clinging tightly to his fingers as they rode to the hospital.

As they sat in the waiting room nearly an hour later, Liam shifted restlessly in his seat. He hated waiting. He despised the smell of the hospital, the sickness making his stomach roll, the chemosignals making his head spin, and the cleaning supplies burning his nostrils. He did what he could to angle himself toward Theo, subtly trying to draw in the scent of his soulmate to calm his nerves. He was amazed that Theo was so calm and at peace, not annoyed in the slightest that he wasn’t being seen on time. It made Liam’s blood sizzle. He couldn’t understand how appointments could never start at their designated time, but especially when it involved a dying patient. “Liam. Your eyes.” Theo said quietly, shaking him from his frustration. He took a deep breath and rubbed his fingers over Theo’s wrist, focusing on the repetitive motion until he was calm again.

“Sorry. I just hate waiting.” Liam muttered, leaning his head against Theo’s arm. “How can you stand it?”

“It’s the way it goes when you can’t see a normal doctor.” Theo shrugged lightly. “Accidents happen and hospitals get busy. I can’t hold it against them.”

“I guess.” Liam sighed, closing his eyes as Theo kissed the top of his head. After a few more minutes, they finally called for Theo to be seen. Liam shuffled along behind his boyfriend and Connie, standing awkwardly in the corner when they reached an exam room. He watched as the nurse came and took Theo’s vital signs, taking a few notes before leaving the room. Theo slouched back across the exam table, staring up at the ceiling with a heavy sigh.

“Liam, I’m so glad you were free to come with us today.” Connie smiled softly and patted him on the arm. “I’m sure Theo appreciates it.”

“He knows I do, mom.” Theo said, tilting his head to look at them. “I invited him, didn’t I?”

“Ignore him, Liam. He gets a little testy when he has to wait for a while.” Connie said. “Why don’t you have a seat?” She asked, nodding at the only available chair in the room.

“I can’t. You should sit.” Liam shook his head. It felt wrong to sit, he’d rather be pacing the room. It was too small for that though and he didn’t want to get any more keyed up.

“She won’t do it.” Theo said, crossing his arms back behind his head. “She’s too nervous about what the doctor is going to say. She doesn’t ever sit.” A knock at the door interrupted the conversation and an older gentleman stepped into the room, smiling warmly at the sight.

“Theo, my favorite patient. How are you feeling?”

“About the same as usual, doc. Still dying and bitter about life.” Theo said bluntly, cracking a small smile. The doctor chuckled faintly and shook his head, motioning for Theo to sit up as he pulled the stethoscope from around his neck.

“You never change, Theo. Is this the young man you’ve told me about? Your soulmate?” He asked, sliding the metal piece over Theo’s chest. “Deep breath.”

“He is,” Theo smiled as he did as directed.

“I’m Liam,” he offered up after the doctor checked a few more places on Theo’s chest and back.

“I’m glad you came to an appointment with him. It’s important for you to understand what difficulties he’s facing and his limitations. And if you have any questions, I’m more than happy to answer them.” Theo’s doctor promised. Liam nodded and crossed his arms, watching the man as he told Theo to get up and a couple of small exercises in place. The next forty-five minutes felt like torture, Liam chewing his lip to pieces as he watched Theo put himself through hell to do as the doctor requested. He had reached out once to try and take some of his pain and hide it, but Theo had pulled his hand away and shaken his head. He hadn’t understood it until later, but he knew now that Theo was only trying to get the results to be as accurate as possible. The doctor ended up prescribing him a new medicine and giving him more dietary restrictions, answering a couple of Liam’s questions about what limited physical activities Theo could take part him and what he needed to avoid, and then the appointment was finally over. Liam tried not to watch as Connie started to cry on their way to the car, equally disheartened to learn Theo’s place on the waiting list for a heart hadn’t changed. Time was truly running out on them.

After a quiet ride home, Theo went to his room to take a nap and gave Liam a box of letters to sift through. He sat down at the Raeken’s kitchen table and began to read through Theo’s vacation, each word making him feel a little better. He could feel the frustration and fears bleeding through the words on the page, the way Theo was angry at the world and desperate to communicate with him. He felt horrible for ever doubting his boyfriend, for ever believing that Theo would break up with him a second time. Each letter reminded him that their love was real, that Theo had complete faith in him and wanted to spend every second possible with him before the end came. Quite a few of the letters had outlined the possibility of him dying on the mountain in the snowstorm, alone and unable to contact the person he needed the most. It broke Liam’s heart. He wasn’t quite finished with them when Theo woke from his nap, but he was close. He tucked the letters back into the box and gave them back to Theo, assuring him that he’d finish the rest after their dinner with friends.

The ride to the diner was silent, Theo’s anxiety cranked up to at least an eight and Liam’s heart racing right along with his. They held hands the entire way, anchoring each other to the present but unable to get the words past their throats. Liam pulled the Bronco into an open space beside Josh’s beat up car, taking a deep breath as he looked over at Theo. His soulmate looked lost, sad in a way that tugged viciously at his heartstrings. Whatever happened in the diner, he had to make sure that Mason and Josh forgave Theo. It wasn’t his fault he had a crazy aunt and they needed to understand that. If he were being honest, he wasn’t too worried about Josh. Mason, on the other hand, had plenty he was upset about. Liam knew he was just playing the dutiful role of best friend and wanted to protect Liam at all costs, but he was hurting another friend in the process. Liam wanted to help mend their damaged relationship and the fragile friendship as best as possible. “You ready?” He asked Theo, glancing over at him.

“No.” Theo whispered in a small voice, not looking at him. Liam followed his gaze to their usual table inside and frowned as he saw Mason scowling at them. He subtly shook his head and tightened his hold on Theo’s hand, turning back to find misty green eyes looking back at him. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Mason’s just worried about me, that’s all.” Liam said softly. “He’ll forgive you. Just be honest, but also tell him how you feel. He’s smart, he won’t hold it all against you.” He didn’t think that was very reassuring, but Theo’s scent became tinged with something like hope, so he counted it as a small victory. He cut the engine and they climbed from the car, walking into the diner before either one of them could back down. “Hey guys,” Liam said as he sat down across from Mason and beside Brett. Theo slid into the space beside him, smiling hesitantly at Corey across the table.

“Hey.” Theo said softly. “Thank you guys for coming. I know you’re all...less than thrilled with me right now.”

“I’m not involved.” Brett said, leaning forward so he could look over at Theo. “But I was definitely on your side.”

“Not involved my ass,” Josh muttered with a soft snort.

“Thanks. I asked you all to come because I wanted to apologize to you in person and not just over the phone. So...here goes.” Theo took a deep breath, straightening up a little as he looked around the table. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get in touch with you. Josh, I’m sorry I made you worry. You’re my best friend and I never meant to hurt you like that and scare you. Mason, I’m sorry I made Liam think I was leaving him a second time. It was never my intention to hurt your best friend and I understand you’re angry with me and I don’t blame you. I’ve been a jackass lately and you have every right not to trust me and not to want Liam around me. Liam and I have already talked and we have a lot to work on. _I_ have a lot to work on. Brett, Corey, you’re my friends as well. I’m sorry you had no idea what was going on with me and that you had to watch your soulmates worry and be upset because of me. I’d go back and fix this if I could, but I can’t go back. I could sit here and plead and apologize for hours, but that’s not going to fix anything. I want to be better moving forward. All I’m asking for is a chance.” He finished softly, glancing around the table.

“There’s only one problem with that apology.” Josh said, leaning forward on his elbows as he studied Theo intently. “Brett’s not my soulmate.”

“I’m not?” Brett gasped loudly, feigning shock. “How dare you suggest otherwise!”

“You two were still made for each other.” Theo rolled his eyes, but Liam could see some of the tension leaving his shoulders. He glanced across the table at Mason, willing his best friend to give Theo another chance and to prove that he was the forgiving type. He was mulling the apology over, looking from Corey to Theo before nodding his head.

“We’re cool,” Mason started slowly, “but we won’t be if you hurt him again. You don’t just get free passes because of your condition.”

“Mason!” Liam hissed sharply, his eyes widening.

“No, let him finish.” Theo shook his head. “He’s right.”

“I’m being honest,” Mason said simply. “I like you, Theo. But you’ve made some pretty stupid decisions lately and they hurt my best friend. I’m not going to sit back and watch him wither away and pine and hurt because you’ve decided to hurt him again to try and save yourself. That’s not a healthy relationship. Liam is far more forgiving than me.”

“He is and you’re right. I really don’t deserve him.” Theo replied, his scent starting to sour with regret and remorse. Liam shot his best friend a heated look, grabbing Theo’s hand under the table and squeezing tightly. “It’s why I wanted you to be here. I wanted to clear the air and let you know I’m going to do everything I can to make this right. When...when I’m gone, I don’t want this to be how any of you remember me. I want the good to outweigh my shitty choices.”

“Just think before you act, man. That would help you out.” Mason said, cracking a slight smile. Theo returned it and the last of the tension released from his shoulders.

“Would help a lot of us out.” Josh tacked on, rolling his eyes. “Damn humans and their inferiority complexes. Full offense, Mason.”

“Noted.” The human chuckled.

“We’re glad you’re home, Theo. I was worried I’d have to go through senior year without a tutor.” Corey smiled shyly.

“I’m your tutor!” Mason protested, looking over at his boyfriend.

“Every time you try and tutor him, I can guarantee your dick ends up in his mouth. There’s no real learning going on.” Josh said bluntly, grinning wickedly at the pair. Brett and Theo burst into laughter as Corey blushed and Mason smacked Josh sharply over his chest. Liam chuckled lowly, feeling like he could finally breathe again as he looked around the table at his friends. Things were going to be okay.

After dinner, Mason drummed his fingers against the table to get everyone’s attention. “Theo, you have keys to the library, right?” He asked. Liam glances at his boyfriend who nodded and pulled out his key ring, lifting an eyebrow. “Awesome. See, we need to get into the library for our senior scribe night and we can’t. With everything that’s gone on since last year, they’re actually trying to tighten security and that includes locking doors. We could use your help breaking in tonight, or borrowing your keys if you aren’t up to going with us at midnight.”

“I’ll be good for it.” Theo promised, nodding his head. “You guys want me to drive?”

“Actually, I’m driving them.” Liam said, scratching the back of his neck. “We were going to be the first ones there so we can be in and out. Some guys want to throw a party but I’m not looking forward to it with school tomorrow. I want to actually sleep before our first official day.”

“Liam being the reasonable one? It’s a goddamn miracle.” Josh teased, smirking as Liam flipped him off. “You’ve changed, baby wolf. I like it.”

“Go fuck yourself with a cactus.” Liam replied easily.

“What a rude thing to call Brett’s dick.” Theo chimed in. Josh burst into laughter and reached across the table, high fiving him as Brett and Liam rolled their eyes in unison.

“Boyfriends suck,” Brett declared. Liam nodded and glanced at Theo, his whole face lit up with his laughter and his eyes warm and bright. It tugged at his heart, flooding him with warmth and love at seeing him so happy.

“Yeah. They’re the worst.”

-

The senior scribe went off without a hitch. In no time at all, Liam and his friends were back at school and everything was going smoothly. The hellhound had been killed by an amateur hunter, as Liam had learned from Scott after a couple of days and relayed the information to Theo. He went to work in the school library, busying himself organizing books on the shelf. He had a break right as classes ended, a chance for him to catch Liam before his lacrosse practice. It was easily the best part of his job. He couldn’t spend much of his free time with Liam, it wasn’t exactly policy for members of the school faculty to fraternize with students, but Theo’s medical condition was apparently a soft spot for Natalie Martin. She said as long as he didn’t abuse his position and didn’t blatantly showcase their relationship, she could turn a blind eye to a hug or kiss in the halls. Nothing while he was on the clock, of course, but breaks were a gray area she let slide. As the bell rang, Theo hauled the cart behind the main desk and signed out for his break before heading out to join the throng of students in the hall.

He eased his way through the crowd and ducked around the corner, grinning as he saw Liam and Mason a few feet ahead of him. He smiled slightly as he got closer, catching the next few words of conversation. Mason’s voice drifted back to him, low and concerned. “...are you gonna do?”

“I don’t know, Mason.” Liam replied. “What am I supposed to do? He doesn’t have that long.”

“A pretty poor excuse to stay in a relationship.”

“I just don’t know how to fix it,” Liam answered.

“Maybe you shouldn’t.”

“I don’t have a choice. He’s dying.” Liam fired back. Theo jerked to a halt, heart throbbing painfully in his chest as he listened to the pair walk away. Did Liam only want to be with him because he was dying? The idea made his blood run cold. He turned without thought and stumbled back down the hall, tears blurring his vision and he sought to find the teacher workroom. He made it to the end of the hall and pushed the door open, swiping at his eyes as he shut it hard and leaned back against it.

“Theo?” A woman’s voice startled him and he looked up, sniffling as he looked at Tamora Monroe. A second look told him that he’d miscalculated and found himself in the guidance office and not the lounge.

“I’m sorry. Wrong door,” Theo said, fumbling behind himself for the doorknob.

“It’s all right. Come have a seat, I don’t have any appointments this afternoon.” She gestured to the seat across from her desk and Theo nodded mutely, sinking down into the chair. “Here you go,” she said as she offered him the tissue box. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Just soulmate trouble,” Theo muttered as he snatched a couple of tissues. “Thanks.”

“Oh, that’s right. Your soulmate is a senior, isn’t it? Liam Dunbar?” She asked, sliding some of her files to the side.

“Yeah. I’m sorry, you’ve got enough on your plate. I don’t need to be adding to it with some boy trouble.” He wiped at his eyes and started to get up.

“Theo? I don’t mind. I have all the time in the world for a coworker.” She smiled softly at him and he nodded, slouching down into the chair. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

“I’m dying. I’m sure you already know that,” Theo shrugged lightly. “Give me one second and I’ll tell you everything.” He smiled apologetically and pulled out his phone, opening his texts to his best friend. _‘Need a pick me up. Hang tonight? Please?’_

“It’s okay. Take all the time you need.” Monroe assured. Theo nodded and glanced down at his phone where Josh sent him a thumbs up, promising to pick him up when his shift at the school ended. He locked his phone and tucked it away, giving Monroe his undivided attention as he poured his heart and soul out to her. He discussed the summer breakup and his trip with his family, leaving nothing out except for the supernatural details. He had needed someone else to talk to for so long, someone that wasn’t biased when it came to his relationship with Liam. Maybe she was just the outlet that he needed.

-

Liam groaned as he walked into the halls after the final bell rang, falling into step with Mason as his best friend exited the room next door. “I need today to be over already.”

“Still got lacrosse practice. And then aren’t you hanging out with Theo?” Mason asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“I don’t know, Mase. Things have been kind of weird since our last big talk. He’s…it feels like he’s trying too hard?”

“So what are you gonna do?” Mason frowned, his voice full of concern.

“I don’t know, Mason.” Liam sighed heavily. “What am I supposed to do? He doesn’t have that long.” The thought made his chest ache, as it always did. He didn’t want his boyfriend trying to tiptoe around him like their relationship was something fragile. Their love was stronger than that.

“A pretty poor excuse to stay in a relationship.” Mason reminded. Liam shook his head, knowing his best friend didn’t really mean it. His heartbeat gave him away.

“I just don’t know how to fix it,” Liam answered.

“Maybe you shouldn’t.”

“I don’t have a choice. He’s dying.” Liam snapped, color rushing to his cheeks. “I don’t want to regret this for the rest of my life. I love him. I just don’t know what to do.” He raked his fingers back through his hair and gripped the back of his neck. “How do I tell him to just act normal? I miss him. I don’t like this...whatever it is.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Mason sighed, following him into the locker room. Half of the lacrosse team was already there, starting to change clothes. “I’m sorry, man. I hate this for you. And you know I like Theo, right? I’m not just saying this to keep you from getting hurt.”

“Let’s talk about something else.” Liam muttered. He needed to take his mind off of his relationship problems. “How did your research go during your study hall? Any luck?”

“Oh!” Mason’s eyes lit up. “I forgot about that.”

“You sent me a bunch of texts that I haven’t been able to check.” Liam said, pulling his phone out just as it buzzed. “Oh.” His expression fell for a second as he saw a simple text from Theo, saying he was hanging with Josh for the night. He stripped down and quickly changed into his lacrosse gear, turning back to his best friend to give him his full attention once he realized Mason was waiting.

“I was saying that if we’re talking about some sort of mythical creature that’s so powerful that the only safe place to put it is in the Wild Hunt, then we have a serious problem.” Mason said, using his hands to emphasise his point.

“Can we figure it out while I’m running drills?” Liam asked. “Brett’s meeting me to help the freshmen that wanna make first line.” He reminded.

“Brett?” Mason asked, licking his lips. “Incredibly hot Brett with the eight-pack abs?”

“You know him and have his number,” Liam sighed and rolled his eyes as he focused on pulling gear from his locker. “Pretty sure his name is just Brett.”

“He has an eight-pack,” Mason stressed. “Do you, do you know how hard it is for the human body to have an eight-pack? God.” He stared off in the distance for a moment and Liam gave him a weird look. “Wait,” Mason shifted his focus back to him. “Why is he helping you?”

“I couldn’t get anyone else to volunteer.” Liam said, shaking his head slightly.

“Well, yeah.” Mason said sympathetically as he glanced around the locker room. “That’s because there’s no way any of ‘em are gonna make first line. I mean, no one does before junior year.”

“Scott did, and so did I.” Liam said defensively.

“Yeah,” Mason said with a half laugh. “With a little supernatural help.” He lowered his voice slightly. Liam sighed and turned back to his locker, shutting the door. He jumped back as one of the freshmen approached, looking up at the boy he was pretty sure was named Aaron. Mason cleared his throat and looked away, leaving Liam to look at his teammate.

“Thanks for the heat, Liam, and the drills, and the chance, you know?” He smiled widely. “Even if there really isn’t one.” He added, looking Mason up and down. Liam shot his best friend an anxious look and Mason cleared his throat, jumping to action.

“Unless you practice. Like, today.” Mason exhaled heavily and reached over, lightly punching Aaron in the chest. “I mean, you could totally have a shot at making first line.” Liam shook his head and turned, grabbing him around the waist and gently tugging him toward the exit. “Yeah, no, you all do. Seriously.” Mason continued as he was escorted back from the locker room. He continued to ramble and Liam hoisted him up, grunting as he carried Mason from the locker room.

“You’re done,” Liam grunted as he dropped him outside of the door. “Come on, let’s go. We’re getting some early drills done.” He said. They started down the hall and made it around the corner before nearly barrelling into the guidance counselor.

“There you are!” Monroe smiled brightly at them. “I’ve got openings tomorrow, if you’re willing to talk, of course.” She added.

“W-well, I don’t have anything to talk about.” Liam stammered, shifting anxiously.

“He has a lot to talk about,” Mason said as he clapped his friend on the shoulder.

“We all have things to talk about, Liam. You don’t wanna start senior year with any heavy burden on your shoulders, do you?” She asked, tilting her head slightly. Liam hated the way it felt as though she were scrutinizing him and peering into his very soul. “How about 2:00 p.m. tomorrow?” She asked.

“Well, that’s my study period.” Liam tried. He wanted to try and spend time researching and seeing Theo in his element.

“Which is why I suggested it,” Monroe smiled. Her heart skipped a beat and Liam frowned, wondering why she was lying. Did she need to see him about something else? “Follow me, boys.” She said, turning on her heel. Rolling his eyes, Liam hung his head and trudged after her. She pulled a form from the envelope beside her office, offering it. “Just take the form and think about it, okay? Hope to see you tomorrow.” Liam nodded and turned away, shifting his grip on his lacrosse stick as he started to walk away. “Remember, I have an open door policy.” She said over her shoulder. He kept walking and listened to her brush off Mason about Sun Tzu, whatever that meant, and chuckled softly under his breath.

He hurried to the lacrosse field and dropped his gear on the bench, not surprised to see Brett warming up. The freshmen were all seated in the bleachers, watching with rapt focus as he shot another perfect goal. “Easy to do when you don’t have an opponent,” he called out before pulling his helmet on.

“Yeah? Prove it, Dunbar. Get in the goal and block my shots.” Brett flashed a wide grin and pulled his own helmet on. Hefting up his lacrosse stick, he jogged onto the field and assumed his position. Brett launched the first shot and he missed, closing his eyes as it sank into the net. Fuck. Brett cheered and the guys on the bench murmured their approval as Brett did a half lap. “That’s called a perfect hitch,” Brett called over to the stands.

“You won’t get it again,” Liam muttered as he pursed his lips and fell back into position.

“Liam! I can do it!” Corey beamed and jogged onto the field, holding his goalie stick. “Go play defense and show them what you’ve got.”

“Thanks.” Liam said, heading out further onto the field to face his friend. “Going down, Talbot.”

“Really? I’m the better player, Dunbar. Always have been.” Brett winked and Liam growled softly, flexing his fingers around his stick. Brett caught the ball Corey tossed his way and fell back, smirking. He raced down the field and Liam prepared for a tackle, shifting his weight to the side. Brett faked him out at the last second and he scored another goal, chuckling lowly as he jogged back into position. “Perfect split dodge.”

“Showoff,” Liam scoffed as he grit his teeth and moved back into position. The next play had him tumbling over and he punched the ground, getting up back.

“Perfect rocker.” Brett laughed.

“Just remember to cover your back,” Liam told his teammates. “Especially if your opponent’s a dick.”

“I’m wounded, Li-Li. I thought we were besties now.” Brett laughed as he headed back to his spot. “You’ve got some pretty big cleats to fill with Scott leaving. You ready for all this?” There was a taunt beneath his words that made Liam’s heart pound.

“I managed all summer,” he replied carefully with a light tone.

“Summer’s over.” Brett said, jogging backwards into place. As another play passed, Liam found himself tumbling up in the air and landing with a sickening crunch on his side. He hissed and looked down at his arm where it was bent at an angle, eyes flaring as his healing kicked in and the bone reset itself. He slammed another punch against the ground, breathing hard as he pushed himself up. Brett’s laugh taunted him as he jogged by and his nostrils flared. He needed to get his head back in the game. The problem was his IED was starting to act up, he could feel the familiar coil of rage settling in his bones. Brett was just playing the game, showing off different plays. He shouldn’t have gotten so angry. For a moment, he heard Mason join and greet Lori on the bleachers and he turned as Brett’s little sister gave a friendly wave. He nodded and barely looked back up as Brett barrelled into him, unable to stop himself before they both tumbled back into the goalpost on top of Corey. He snarled softly and got back up, helping Corey up before moving back to his place. “You’re losing it, dude.” Brett warned as he went back across the field.

“Fuck you,” Liam hissed. The metal stick creaked in his hands and he looked down at his hands, breathing hard as his claws started to push against the fabric of his gloves. He growled and fell into his stance, watching Brett sharply as he ran closer. In one easy move he sent the taller wolf sprawling over his back, scooping up the ball and launching it toward the goal. He watched as Corey fell backward and a hole was burned through the net. Behind him, Brett struggled to his feet and he felt a brief moment of guilt. It was gone when the scent of Brett’s anger hit him and the taller boy was pushing up against him, throwing barbed words.

“There he is,” Brett laughed sharply as he shoved Liam back half a step. “That’s the IED I remember. What’s it stand for? Intermittent Explosive Disorder? What’s it gonna take for you to explode, Liam?” Liam shook his head and attempted to step back, grimacing as Brett stopped him in his tracks. “I’m trying to help you,” Brett said lowly. “You’re not in control, and if you don’t fix it, someone’s gonna get hurt.” Liam could smell the sincerity coming from him and it made his skin itch, annoyance flooding through him. “I get it,” Brett added softly as Liam started to walk away. “You’re going through a lot. But that doesn’t mean you can take it out here on the field. If I wasn’t a wolf? You’d have broken my spine with that move.” He said, turning and heading back to his position. Liam took a slow breath and nodded, walking across the field to take a sit and try and calm back down. He ripped his gloves off and tossed his helmet to the ground, rolling back his sleeve as he rubbed his fingers over Theo’s name.

“I’m sorry,” Liam whispered as he looked across the field.

“I know. Sorry I snapped too.” Brett sighed and shook his head slightly. Liam watched him line up another shot and nail Corey in the stomach, huffing a laugh as the chimera toppled to the ground.

“I’m not actually invisible right now, am I?” Corey asked. Brett and Liam shared a laugh, the tall werewolf jogging over to help him up. Liam swallowed hard and looked down at his clenched fists, staring at the blood starting to drip from his hands.

“Fuck.” He snarled and leapt to his feet, sprinting toward the locker room and keeping his head ducked low. He threw open the door and advanced on the lockers, breathing hard. “The sun,” he whispered as he tried to calm his IED. There was no stopping it now, he needed the physical release. “The moon. The truth.” He grabbed the lockers and leaned his forehead against it, shuddering as he started to growl. He tried to pull Theo to the front of his mind, searching the building for his heartbeat, but all he could hear was the blood thrumming in his ears. “The sun,” he hissed before throwing his first punch. “The moon,” was uttered with a second, “the moon,” came again as he launched another punch that made the entire row of lockers away back. The door to the locker swung open and he grimaced, slowly backing away and hoping no one heard. He quickly cleaned his bloodstained palms and headed back onto the field, sliding into the bleachers next to Mason and Lori.

“You okay?” Lori asked softly.

“Fine. Think I’m gonna try and get some homework done or something.” Liam shrugged.

“We could study for our test tomorrow,” Mason suggested.

“Ooh, can you help me, too? Bio is kicking my ass. Josh usually tutors me, but he bailed tonight. Something about hanging out with Theo?” She glanced at Liam and he shrugged.

“I didn’t know they’d planned anything. Must have just happened.” He said, reaching for his book bag and pulling out his textbook. He flipped it open and the words blurred together, making his head throb. “Fuck,” he sighed and slammed it shut. “I can’t do this.”

“You barely tried,” Mason protested. Liam lifted his head, golden eyes blazing, and Mason’s expression softened. “Oh.”

“IED still acting up. Sorry, I’m gonna bail.” He slid the book into his bag and pulled out his phone, sighing. “I’m going to the library.” He said, grabbing his bag and getting up.

“He’s probably still working,” Mason said softly.

“I know. I just need to be near him. He helps.” Liam whispered. He murmured a goodbye and walked away, heading for the main building. He paused outside of the library and took a seat outside the main doors, slumping back against the wall. He guided his fingers slowly over Theo’s name, focusing on his heartbeat as he tried to calm himself. He sat there until his legs went numb. People came and went, no one sparing him a second glance, and he ignored them as he tracked his soulmate moving through the library. Eventually it was getting close to the time Theo’s shift ended and he forced himself onto his feet, heading back for the locker room. At least he could try and fix the locker door that he’d broken.

Half an hour later, he gave up after his locker hit him in the face and reached into it with a heavy sigh. He pulled out the counseling request form, staring down at the options. Maybe it would be good to talk to someone else about Theo and their problems. He needed an opinion that didn’t belong to his friends. Monroe felt a little off to him, but maybe that was just how cheerful she always was. No one was supposed to ever smile that much. The sound of quick footsteps approaching made him fold the paper quickly, snapping his head up as Corey and Mason entered the locker room. He sat down as Mason walked through the door, frowning in confusion. “Hey, What are you doing here?”

“Just looking for you,” Corey said as he approached.

“History test tomorrow? We need to study,” Mason reminded.

“Yeah. Right.” Liam agreed slowly, watching Corey reach out and grab the damaged locker door. “That’s probably a good idea,” he said as Corey toppled over when the door gave way, “since I have no idea what it’s on.” Corey and Mason shared a concerned look, the chimera adjusting the locker door before turning to Liam.

“It’s on Mussolini and the role of fear-baiting in the rise of fascism.” Corey said. Liam grimaced, wishing he’d actually done the summer reading instead of putting it off. “We can study together,” Corey suggested.

“Yeah, can we take the test together?” Liam asked. Corey laughed weakly in response and Liam frowned when his best friend didn’t answer. “Hey,” he tried.

“Guys…” Mason said, looking at something over Liam’s shoulder. He turned around, stomach twisting at the sight of blood smeared across the floor. How had he not noticed that? He stood up and instinctively put himself in front of Mason, sensing Corey doing the same as he rounded the lockers and followed the trail of blood. Horror filled him as he saw the featureless body, alone except for the lacrosse helmet resting just a few feet away. He heard Mason’s heartbeat kick up and Corey’s soft whimper, his stomach rolling. The body didn’t have an odor. The scent of blood didn’t fill the locker room, it was as if it didn’t really exist.

“Find the team.” Liam ordered, turning away from the dead body to find his best friend staring in fear. “Everyone. Go search campus, most of them are still here. I’ll call the ones I’ve got. Get everyone accounted for.” He directed, stepping over the trail of blood and heading for the door.

“His skin…” Mason whispered.

“Mason!” Liam whirled around, eyes flashing gold. “I need your head in this before someone else is next. Come on!” He swallowed hard and grabbed his phone from his pocket, swiping it open. He went to his contacts and scrolled, calling the first name on the list. Corey and Mason sprang into action behind him, hurrying from the room as they went to check campus. Half an hour later, they met again at the bottom of the stairwell.

“Library’s empty,” Mason said.

“Gym, too.” Corey added.

“Aaron is the only one I can’t get ahold of,” Liam told them as fear crept into his voice.

“Anyone check the parking lot? See if his car’s still here?” Mason asked. Liam shook his head and pushed off of his arm, sneakers squeaking across the floor as he turned and made a dash for the parking lot. He focused his senses for a moment, relieved to hear Theo’s heartbeat outside the front of the building. Good. He was safe and Josh was bound to pick him up any minute. Liam would fill them in later, for now he has to focus on his teammate. They made it to the parking lot and Liam looked around, heart sinking as he realized he had no idea if Aaron even drove a car.

“He’s a freshman, right?” Corey asked. “Do you think he’s old enough to drive?” He voiced Liam’s concerns and he smiled softly, shaking his head.

“Freshman so he’s got a permit at best. It was a good idea though.” Liam assured Mason, clapping him on the shoulder. “Let’s try the school again. We’ll find him.” They had to. Liam wasn’t going to lose another friend or teammate, not this time.

“We could check the classrooms again.” Corey said, nodding in agreement. “Maybe he’s just walking around?”

“Or his ride came and we missed him.” Mason muttered.

“No, Brett said Aaron was watching him play late and...was waiting for a ride.” Corey said, biting his lip as he looked slowly at Liam. “I’m sorry, I forgot-“

“Don’t. We’re all a little worried and freaked out. Let’s check the building again.” Liam said. When Corey rewarded him with a shy smile, relief flooded through him. Maybe he could do this whole alpha thing. The trio jogged back toward the main building and down the hall, Liam skidding to a halt as he caught a glimpse of someone in a classroom. He stumbled back, stepping into the room where Aaron was sitting in the dark with a textbook in front of him. “Aaron?” Liam asked softly. The other boy slowly turned his head, smiling at them.

“Hey guys,” he greeted warmly.

“Thank god. Where have you been?” Mason asked.

“I forgot we have a history test tomorrow.” Aaron replied. Liam carefully checked his heartbeat, surprised to find it didn’t budge. Huh. He’d thought for sure Aaron had been the victim. But if it hadn’t been him...who was it?

“We’ve been trying to call you,” Corey said. Aaron turned and picked up his phone, tapping at the screen a few times.

“Huh. Must’ve died.” Aaron said, smiling apologetically back at them. The hair on the back of Liam’s neck prickled in unease and he glanced back at Mason, sighing heavily.

“I guess we’re good here.” He said, nodding for them to walk out the room. He had no idea how drastically his life was going to change in the next few hours. He looked over at Mason and Corey, rubbing the back of his neck. “You guys okay to go home?”

“Dude. What about the body?” Corey hissed softly.

“Maybe it was a...a prank.” Liam said, wincing slightly at how lame the words sounded. “Look. The team is accounted for and the body doesn’t have a scent. I don’t know what to do. Do we call Parrish?”

“It’s Beacon Hills, dude.” Mason said pointedly. “We always call Parrish. It’s a freaking body without skin and for all we know, it used to be a person and the supernatural...whatever the hellhound was chasing could be responsible. What are you thinking?”

“I...don’t know.” Liam said, wincing slightly. Mason was right, what was he thinking? Maybe he wasn’t cut out for the whole alpha thing.

“It’s been a long day.” Corey said softly. “Liam, I’ll call Parrish. I’ve got to stay for a while anyways. You and Mason should go home and study.”

“Yeah.” Liam sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah. Thanks, Corey. Are you sure? That thing...it could still be around.”

“I can turn invisible. I am probably the safest out of all of us.” Corey said, shrugging one shoulder. “We didn’t catch any scent in the locker room. Maybe that body was the creature. We don’t know.”

“Be careful.” Mason said, stepping forward and softly kissing his boyfriend. “You’re positive you will stay here and be okay?”

“Go study for our test tomorrow. That’s what I’m doing, anyways.” Corey smiled. Liam nodded and softly thanked him, following Mason to the parking lot. He paused as he reached his car, head cocked to the side as he listened. Theo was still there. Josh must have been a few minutes later. Brett’s car was still in the parking lot too, but he could still hear the werewolf on the lacrosse field.

“Liam?” Mason asked, drawing him back to focus. “Hey. Can I come over? Maybe...maybe play some video games or something? Study for our test a little?”

“Sure. We can study some first.” Liam said, shrugging his shoulder. “I’m going to call Scott and fill him in. Meet you at my place,” he said as he unlocked his car. Mason nodded and climbed into his car, starting it and leaving Liam in peace. He pulled out his phone and called his alpha, taking a deep breath as Scott answered. “Hey. Listen, something happened at the high school.” He began, tapping his fingers nervously against the steering wheel as he began to drive.

“Is everyone okay?” Scott asked.

“I don’t know? There was a body without any skin on it. But it didn’t have a scent and I have no idea what caused it. Corey called Parrish and I guess the body will go to the morgue. Your mom might want to take a look. No sign of what happened.” Liam said, chewing on his lower lip. “I don’t know what to do, Scott.”

“Is everyone accounted for? No signs of who it could be?”

“None. There was a lacrosse helmet, but I checked and everyone was fine. Corey and Brett are still at the school, so if something else happens they can take care of it.” Liam said, making a mental note to send Brett a text when he got home.

“Good call. Listen, there are some things I need to talk to you about.” Scott sighed heavily. “I didn’t tell you this, but we found a bullet stamped by Argent. We’ve been tracking him down and found him. Turns out he isn’t the one stamping bullets. Liam, we think we know what happened with the rats and the wolves. It’s fear. Fear is causing people and animals to lose their minds.”

“What do you mean? Fear of what?” Liam asked, frowning as he slowed at a stop sign.

“Of us. Parrish went to investigate Eichen and found the supernatural unit all dead. The doctor there was going to kill him too after freezing him, but Lydia got there in time and saved him.” Scott explained. “You need to be careful. We have no idea what we’re up against and we’re going blind on this one. You should tell Brett, Josh, and Corey to be careful. If there’s an amateur hunter running around Beacon Hills and others are trying to kill us, we could have an even bigger problem. Our priority is finding the creature responsible for this.”

“I’ll warn them. Scott? What do we do about the hunter?” Liam asked softly. “If every one of us is in danger…”

“They are an amateur using silver bullets. We’ll find them and put an end to this peacefully. Argent used to be on their side, too. But he’s with us now.” Scott said gently. “We will figure this out, Liam. Just stay safe, okay?”

“You too. Thanks for updating me.” Liam said before ending the call. He called Corey and relayed the information and did the same to Brett, leaving a voicemail. Josh’s phone went straight to voicemail and he rolled his eyes. “You’d better have picked up Theo by now and your phone better be dead. If you’re ignoring my calls, I’m going to kill you. I need you to lay low tonight and I’ll fill you in tomorrow. Have fun with Theo and be careful.” He said before hanging up. He pulled into his driveway, smiling as he saw Mason already gone from his car. He’d no doubt used his own key to get in. Liam knew his stepdad had a late shift at the hospital and his mom was probably having dinner with some of her friends.

He headed inside to find Mason raiding the kitchen pantry, a bag of chips and soda tucked under his arm. “Hey, man. You want anything?” He asked over his shoulder.

“The bar of chocolate mom hid behind the cereal. I’ll buy her a new one tomorrow.” Liam said, reaching out his hand for it. Mason rummaged for a moment and produced the milk chocolate, offering it with a grin.

“She’s definitely going to kill you for this.” Mason warned. He grabbed a second soda and handed it over before closing the door, nodding for Liam to head upstairs. They made their way to his bedroom and Liam shoved his laundry to the floor, making room for Mason to sit down. He turned, huffing a laugh as he saw his best friend was already sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed.

“Dude.”

“It’s comfy down here and you’ll bitch if I get crumbs on your bed. Fold your laundry and I’ll get the textbooks open and the study guides out. I still can’t believe we have a test on our second day.” Mason said, shaking his head as he pulled his book bag around and opened it.

“Yeah,” Liam sighed unhappily and tossed his bag to the end of the bed. He bent down and collected his laundry, making a face as he started to fold his underwear and pants. “Why does she always dump it on my bed?”

“Because you never remember to get it from the dryer.” Mason chuckled. “She spoiled you way too long.”

“Hardly,” Liam snorted softly and shook his head.

“I was doing my own laundry at 9 and cooking when I was 8.” Mason reminded, smiling fondly back at his best friend. He grabbed Liam’s book bag and pulled out his study materials, spreading them across the floor. “Dude. You haven’t answered a single question on this!”

“I...forgot?” Liam winced, refusing to meet Mason’s gaze. “I was preoccupied, okay?”

“We had class time to work on it, Liam. What kept you so distracted?” Mason asked. He could feel the other boy burning a hole in the side of his face with his curious gaze.

“Theo.” Liam muttered, biting down on his lip. He saw Mason’s expression soften from the corner of his eye and turned to look at him. “I was busy tracking his heartbeat. It’s always a little different when he starts a new medicine and it takes some getting used to. I just...Mase, I need to make sure he’s okay. With the things that have happened at the school...what if he’s not safe there either?”

“I get it. I was so worried about Corey with the Dread Doctors and all, remember? Every day, I kept waiting for them to reappear and steal him right in front of me. I know I’ve been hard on Theo and I’m sorry. I just want to look out for you. But earlier...that was harsh of me. He’s your soulmate and you’re just trying to enjoy the time you have left. I can’t imagine what that’s like for you. It was hard for me when Corey’s name went white on my wrist. That pain was...well, you saw how broken I was. And then Josh brought him back and I got to see his name turn black again….it was like a fucking miracle. I’m sorry I’ve been kind of an asshole toward him lately.”

“You’re just being my overprotective best friend that my parents would adopt in a heartbeat. We’re brothers.” Liam said, looking down at him with a fond smile. “Just...would it kill you to put in a little effort with him? He’s trying. He and I talked through some of it and I just want to treasure what time I’ve got left. He’s still your friend.”

“I know he is. I’ll do better.” Mason promised. Liam nodded and started putting his clothes away, an easy silence falling over the room. He sat down a couple of minutes later, raising an eyebrow as he saw Mason almost done completing his study guide for him.

“What was that for?” Liam asked, browns furrowing together. “I would have done it.”

“This way we can quiz each other and make this go by faster. We can study the top half and then take a break and play video games. I totally want to practice that update for that online game. We still entering the tournament?”

“Hell yeah.” Liam grinned and reached for his paper as Mason scribbled down the last answer. “Before we get started...I talked to Scott. You should know what’s going on.” He said softly. “There’s a hunter out there and people are starting to go after all supernatural creatures. The ones at Eichen were all killed by their doctors. Parrish was nearly killed, too. I already called Corey and Brett and Josh to warn them. Josh and Brett didn’t answer but I left messages.” He said, chewing slowly on his lip. “Scott said it all comes back to fear and fear of us. It’s the common denominator.”

“So whatever escaped the Wild Hunt…” Mason began, his eyes widening in understanding.

“Is more than likely what we’re looking for,” Liam finished with a nod. “We have to be on guard from here on out. That means taking precautions and laying low. You’re human, but I don’t want to risk anything happening to you because of proximity. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’re not going to lose me.” Mason said softly, sliding his textbook aside. He reached forward and pulled Liam to his chest, the boy folding willingly down into his arms. Liam took a shuddering breath and nodded, closing his eyes as he deeply inhaled Mason’s scent. There was too much going on and it was all happening so fast. He had no idea how to do any of this with Scott due to leave at any moment for college. He knew his alpha couldn’t stay, there was no way he could give up getting an education and risk losing his future. Liam was terrified of having to look out for his friends and the town on his own. He knew his packmates would help him, but the last thing he wanted to do was have any of them put in danger. His future was already looking bleak. He had to live with the knowledge that he was losing the person he’d come to love more than anything. Couple that with the thought of losing his best friend and potentially others? It shook him to the core.

“You can’t promise that,” Liam croaked out as fresh tears filled his eyes. “You can’t know that you won’t get hurt or killed or end up like that body we found. You don’t know.” He whispered, sniffling as he rubbed his face against Mason’s shirt for a moment. “I can’t do any of this without you.”

“And you won’t have to. I’ll make damn sure of it.” Mason murmured, settling his head down on top of Liam’s. He rocked them both slowly in place, whispering reassurances as Liam tried to piece himself back together. He had no idea what the future was going to hold, but there was a dark sense of foreboding in his chest that Mason’s kind words and reassurances couldn’t shake from his bones. The future looked grim and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do except hope that he didn’t let everyone down as they faced down this unnamed threat.

“Thank you.” Liam whispered when he pulled back a few minutes later, scrubbing at his eyes. “You want to skip studying and shoot some zombies for a bit?” He asked hesitantly, chewing his lip.

“Dude. I totally want to kick your ass in head to head combat. Let’s do it.” Mason beamed and crawled over to the tv, turning it in and sliding a couple of controllers back over to Liam. He turned the game system on and handed over the remote, shifting back into his spot as Liam pushed all of their study materials behind them and to the side. He had to admit, letting it out like that had certainly made him feel a little better. It also made him appreciate Mason even more for not questioning him or trying to cover his fears with bullshit excuses. Mason has always had a way of making him feel safe from the rest of the world and even with all of his dumbass mistakes in the past, he’s never been judged by his best friend. They have a friendship that will last through the ages and never falter. They’ve had plenty of disagreements and fights, but nothing that would ever break them apart. Mason was the kind of solid rock that Liam needed right now. He glanced over at his best friend and smiled softly, the glow of the television reflecting off of Mason’s skin and making him stand out. The other boy caught his staring and turned, clicking his tongue as he grinned.

“Don’t think this will help you win, Liam. Supernatural or not, I’m going to kick your ass.” Mason said lightly.

“Game on,” Liam chuckled and turned his attention back to the loading screen.

-

Theo pulled the drawer of the desk shut and turned the key in the lock, sliding it into his pocket. “Time to go,” he muttered as he turned to sign himself out of the log. “See you later,” he called to the main librarian as he headed out and started the trek toward the front of the building. He was eager to get into a car and pour his heart out to his best friend over a burger and milkshakes, dietary restrictions be damned. He was glad he’d worked the afternoon shift and Josh had given him a lift to work. He’d originally planned on catching a ride with Liam after lacrosse, but his talk with Monroe had convinced him changing plans was a good idea. She’d been nothing but kind to him, suggesting to put a little space and breathing room between them. She’d told him the stress wasn’t helping his condition and that maybe a break would help. He agreed thought it hurt to admit. He wanted to spend his every moment with Liam, but what he’d overheard earlier left him feeling confused and aching. Had no one truly forgiven him for his actions? Were they all just faking it because he was dying? The thoughts spun into a maelstrom in his head as he walked outside, sitting down on the sidewalk as he waited for Josh to arrive.

The hour ticked by slowly and he frowned, checking his phone for any new messages. Nothing. He was a little stung that Liam hadn’t texted him back, but maybe that was just another sign that they needed a break. It wasn’t like they were breaking up again. Liam just needed space, right? Theo sighed and flopped onto his back, shivering lightly from the cool breeze. It hadn’t been supposed to get so cold, but the weather was as erratic as the daily life of citizens of Beacon Hills. He sighed and rubbed his arms, sending Josh a string of questions marks and sad faces before putting his phone away. After ten minutes of waiting, he unlocked it and hit speed dial as he lifted his phone to his ear. The phone began to ring and he rolled his eyes, waiting patiently. Josh didn’t answer.

As the answering machine picked up, Theo sighed and shook his head. “Dude. Don’t bail on me now because Brett’s dick is prettier than mine. I’ll buy you dinner and your favorite shake if you just call me back. I’ve been waiting over an hour, you said you’d come get me. I hope you’re just changing a flat tire.” He said before hanging up, putting his phone away. He sighed and draped his arm over his face, tapping his fingers against his stomach as he resigned himself to waiting for Josh to turn to. Deep in his gut, he could feel something was horribly wrong.

-

Brett unlocked his car as he crossed the parking lot, lifting the trunk and tossing his lacrosse helmet inside.”I think you dropped this,” a woman called from behind him. The trunk shut and he turned to see the lacrosse ball in her hand, humming softly in recognition as he saw the ball. It must have been one Corey had thrown back and missed by a mile. “I saw you playing,” she continued as she moved a little closer, “you’re something else, aren’t you?”

“Something like that, yeah.” Brett chuckled softly. He caught the ball, rolling it between his fingers for a moment. As his fingers rubbed against the indents from Liam’s claws, he felt the chalky pattern of something else. He glanced down and saw the purple cloud of smoke, taking a shaky breath. It filled his lungs and he stumbled to the side, eyes widening as he looked at the woman standing in front of him. He collapsed and groaned, dragging himself across the ground as he grunted in pain.

“I’m sorry, I should have told you.” The woman said as she slowly walked closer. Brett grunted and dragged himself back, pulling himself up against the trunk of his car and leaning heavily against it. “It’s wolfsbane,” she said with a vicious smirk.

“Where’d you get a thing like that,” Brett huffed as he edged himself back around his car. The woman continued to advance, clicking her tongue as she tapped her nails along the body of his car.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She hummed. “I have nothing against your personally,” she said as she grabbed his lacrosse stick and snapped the net from the metal rim. Brett stumbled back and hit the pavement, crawling back as he glared up at her. “But you don’t deserve to have this much power,” she said as she pointed the makeshift weapon at him. “You don’t deserve to terrify people.” She advanced on him, driving it through his shoulder with a scowl. Brett snarled as she yanked it free, covering the wound quickly and staring at the blood seeping through his fingers. It healed rapidly and he breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s incredible,” she whispered in disbelief. She pulled out a knife, turning on him. “No one should be able to do that.” Before she could use it, he lunged and swiped his claws across her neck and made a run for the woods.

He pushed himself despite the burning in his lungs, desperate to put some distance between himself and the woman in the parking lot. Whoever she was, she meant business and that business was his head on a pike. He slid behind a tree and pulled himself up the trunk, grunting as he moved to a low hanging branch. He could hear the woman stumbling around in the dark behind him, giving chase. He just needed to hold out a little longer and try to knock her out to make his escape. The animal in him was ready for the kill, but he shook his head to clear the dark thought away. Satomi had raised him better. He grimaced and leaned forward, feeling as though a hundred bullets were ripping through him. He barely held to the branch above his head, the blood dripping down onto the woman’s arm. As she looked up, he snarled and lunged from the tree. He grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up, feeling the phantom pain of bullets once again as his grip slackened. Before he could toss her aside, an arrow embedded itself in his chest just shy of his heart. He snarled and dropped the woman, bringing a hand to his chest as he stumbled away to try and gain more ground. One hunter he could have handled. But two in his injured state? It felt like impossible odds.

He ran until he couldn’t hear the heartbeats of his pursuers, cursing as he struggled to pull his phone from his pocket. He punched in the number he knew by heart, shuddering as he whimpered in pain and slouched sideways against a tree. “Pick up, pick up.” He pleaded as the phone rang. It went straight to voicemail, making his heart leap to his throat. “Fuck. Josh, come on. I need to know you’re okay. Something’s happened,” he gasped out as he attempted to grab the arrow with his free hand. “I’m hurt pretty bad, baby boy. But I’m coming to your place. I’ll be there, just let me in.” He closed his eyes, trembling violently as pain made his body spasm. “Fuck. I love you. I’m so sorry.” He whispered before hanging up. Time to start running again.

-

Josh groaned as his alarm went off, stirring him from his slumber on the couch. He stretched himself out and yawned, batting at his phone to make the grating noise stop. He rolled from the couch and pushed himself off the floor, stretching his arms up over his head as he shuffled to his bedroom. He had half an hour before he was due to pick up Theo, just enough time to make himself look somewhat presentable. He grabbed the shirt he’d tossed onto the end of his bed earlier and pulled it on, picking up jeans from the floor and slipping into them. He padded into the bathroom and set to work fixing his hair and brushing his teeth, doing what little was necessary to fix himself up. Ten minutes later, he grabbed his phone from the coffee table and locked up his apartment as he headed to his car.

As he started the car, he considered texting Theo to tell him he was on his way. He doubted the human would check his phone on the clock and besides, Josh was sure to be there by the time his shift ended. He wouldn’t waste his battery life. Besides, a couple of minutes of waiting wouldn’t kill his best friend. He smirked to himself as he eased out of the parking lot, drumming his fingers against the wheel. A few minutes later he came to a stop at a red light, huffing in annoyance. There was no one else at the intersection. He itched to run the light but with his luck, there was sure to be someone waiting for him with a ticket in hand. It wouldn’t be the first time the cops of Beacon Hills had caught him. They’d loved to ticket him whenever they had the chance. Honestly, sometimes Josh was surprised that he still had his license at times. He was pretty sure Sheriff Stilinski and Parrish had made a few of those violations disappear. Maybe it was because he’d helped find Stiles and the others during the Wild Hunt. Josh found the men impossible to read.

He felt the sensation of crawling along his arm and looked down, frowning at the sight of a spider moving from his elbow to his wrist. As he turned his arm to get a better look, it crawled across the back of his hand and burrowed down into his skin. He grunted in pain and hastily rolled back his sleeve, scanning his arm to see where the bastard had gone. Cursing, he gunned it through the light as it changed and sharply turned at the best corner. He sped down to the animal clinic, thankful he’d picked an apartment close to downtown as he felt an itch spreading from his shoulder and down his side. Whatever the spider was doing, he needed to get it out fast. He threw the parking brake on as he reached the back entrance, easily breaking into the clinic and crossing the mountain ash barrier. Growling, he rummaged through the drawers and tools until he found a scalpel and a small mirror. He turned on the overhead light and yanked his shirt over his head, twisting the mirror behind himself. He scanned his back until he found the spider crawling rapidly up his back, his skin bulging out. Gripping the scalpel, he took a deep breath and plunged it into his back. He ripped it out and lifted it in front of his face, staring in disbelief as the spider vanished in a puff of smoke.

“What the fuck?” He hissed, dropping the scalpel to the ground as his fingers started to tremble. Panic seized his lungs and he growled, trying to remember how to breathe as he spun around and grabbed his shirt. Theo. He had to get to Theo. He hurried out of the clinic and back into his car, swallowing back his fear as he slammed the door shut. He fumbled for his phone, scrolling through his contacts until his thumb brushed over Scott’s name. He took a shaky breath and stared down at it, contemplating his options. Calling the alpha wasn’t a bad idea. He and Scott weren’t exactly friends, but he was sure that the boy would want to know what he’d experienced. It screamed of being a supernatural threat and he knew McCall loved cleaning up after those messes and playing hero. He hovered his finger over the call button and started to press down, jumping as someone tapped against his window. He looked up to see a flashlight being aimed at him, along with the barrel of a gun. As he slowly turned his head, he realized he was completely surrounded. Swallowing down his fear, he slowly raised his hands up in surrender as confusion filled him. Who the hell were these guys?

“I surrender-“ Josh started, the words sticking to the back of his throat. His heart raced in his chest as his thoughts turned to Theo and Brett, an ache filling him that stole his breath. He’d never get to see Brett smile again. Never get to make fun of Theo. He wouldn’t get to say goodbye. As the first of the bullets tore through him, memories of the men he loved threatened to consume him. He slumped down against the steering wheel, blood dribbling from his mouth with his weak groans of pain. Before his world went dark, he felt a stinging pain lance through his chest. Then it was silent.


	3. Chapter 3

The arrow needed to come out. Brett grimaced as he stumbled to a halt, straining his ears to pick up the heartbeats of his two pursuers. There was still a comfortable distance between them. It wasn’t much, but it would have to be enough. He slowly eased himself back against a tree, reaching up and gripping the front of the arrow. Pain landed through him with the lightest tug, leaving him gasping and panting for breath. He blinked back tears and tilted his head back, glaring fiercely up at the night sky. “You’re not taking me yet.” He growled softly. Even if Josh was dead, Brett still had a sister and a pack. He had his friends. He couldn’t leave them.

Taking a deep breath, he turned and braced his hands against the tree. He sniffled, pressing his tear stained face against his shoulder for a moment. He slammed his chest forward against the tree, a choked noise of raw pain spilling from his lips as the arrow pushed through his chest. He whimpered, breathing hard as he did it again and felt more of the arrow slid through him. Stumbling back, he hit his knees and stared brokenly at the ground for a moment. Those heartbeats were getting closer. How was he supposed to stop the hunters? He was weak, he was bleeding everywhere and leaving a nice trail for them to follow. If he didn’t act soon, he really would be dead. Grimacing, he reached back and gripped the shaft of the arrow, managing to pull it free in one easy motion. He tossed it aside, heart skipping a beat as nearby footsteps sounded. He needed to buy himself a little more time. He picked up the arrow and dug his phone from his pocket, nose flaring as he saw two missed calls from his sister and alpha. He swallowed hard and turned the volume up, dropping his phone on the ground before getting to his feet. Cloaking himself in the shadows, he moved back to a pair of trees a few yards away where he could watch and maybe get a jump on the pair. This wolf wasn’t going down without a fight. 

When the phone went off a few minutes later, he wished he hadn’t left it behind. That was Theo’s ringtone. Brett knew that he wouldn’t be calling him if it wasn’t important and it didn’t involve Josh. He swallowed back tears, trying to push the memory from his head of the pain he’d felt earlier that night. There couldn’t be just these two hunters. Was it a faction? Had they come to Beacon Hills because Argent was letting the supernatural live? He watched the woman who had injured him stop in front of his phone, slowly turning his way. He readied the arrow in his hand and launched it, a soft growl escaping when the older man pulled her out of the way. Smirking at her horrified look, he raised his eyebrow in a  _ ‘what can you do’  _ manner. Her stunned demeanour didn’t last. She had her gun raised in seconds, firing away as he turned and scrambled for safety. A few of the bullets clipped him and he stumbled, panic filling him as he willed his body to go faster. Brett began to doubt he was going to make it from the woods alive. 

-

“No no no!” Mason shouted in disbelief, grinning ear to ear as Liam laughed beside of him. “You swear you weren’t cheating?” He asked, looking incredulously at his best friend. 

“I swear to god.” Liam said between delighted laughs, looking from his best friend back to the screen where his character stood victorious. 

“Fine. One more game.” Mason insisted. 

“I have to get back to studying.” Liam said, setting his controller down and reaching for the textbook on the bed behind him. 

“Uh, you need any help with anything?” Mason stuttered. His heart did something strange and Liam frowned, cautiously scenting the air and trying to differentiate Mason’s natural smell from his chemo signals. He really should have taken Josh up on his lessons to teach him over the summer. 

“What, you wanna help me study?” Liam asked, giving his friend a disbelieving look. 

“What? I’m your best friend, I can help you study.” Mason replied. There was a defensive edge in his voice that made Liam’s smile falter. Something was definitely wrong. 

“Nah, go home, dude.” Liam said, opening his textbook and pretending to look down at it. Maybe it would help Mason feel more at ease opening up if he didn’t press. 

“Uh...you…” Mason played with the controller in his hands and Liam looked up, giving him his attention. “You mind if I…” Mason scoffed and looked away for a moment, rubbing his hands together. Liam could definitely smell the anxiety. “I mean is, is it cool if…” he took a deep breath and Liam frowned slightly, wondering what had Mason looking ready to crawl out of his own skin. 

“What, you want to stay over?” He asked. The relief in Mason was instantaneous and only heightened his worry. 

“Yeah, is that all right?” Mason asked, fiddling with the cuffs of his jeans. 

“I mean, yeah, if you tell me why.” Liam said. Beating around the bush wasn’t going to get him anywhere, not this time. 

“What do you mean why?” Mason asked with a weak chuckle, doing everything he could to be nonchalant. Liam wanted to remind him that they’d been best friends since they were toddlers and he could read him better than anyone. “Maybe I just...wanna hang out.” He said slowly, the words less and less sure as they tumbled from his mouth. 

“What about Corey?” Liam asked. Mason usually spent most nights with him and the soulmate bond usually trumped their friendship. Not that Liam minded. He’d grown to like Corey over the summer and accepted that he and Mason were meant to be together. 

“Nah, he’s at a library study group.” His friend reminded, staring straight ahead and avoiding Liam. 

“We haven’t had a sleepover just between the two of us since we were 10.” Liam said softly, shutting his textbook. He lifted it from his lap and held it in front of his legs, leaning forward slightly. Time for the direct route. “What’s going on?” He asked. 

Mason didn’t answer immediately. Liam’s concern grew as he watched him struggle to take several deep breaths, most becoming short pants instead. His entire face shuddered and twitched, his eyes beginning to water. The scent of fear thickened the air around them and Liam wanted to pull him close and shield him from the world. “You remember that body we found?” Mason started off. “You know, the one without the face?” His voice trembled. “I can’t get it out of my head.” And there it was. The truth at last. 

“Yeah, me, too.” Liam admitted softly as he looked off into the distance in front of Mason. He wasn’t surprised that the sight had disturbed his best friend. It had certainly unnerved him and was sure to star a role in his nightmares tonight. 

“No,” Mason said quickly. Liam’s gaze lifted back to his face. “Dude, I’m...I mean, I, I literally can’t get it out of my head.” He took another few short breaths, his heart racing in his chest. “You know what after images are?”

“You mean like when you look at a light bulb and when you look away you still kind of see it?” Liam asked, nodding his head slowly. 

“Yeah.” Mason whispered, wetting his lips. “Well, there’s this more extreme version called palinopsia. It literally means ‘seeing again.’ The image stays with you and you see it again and again.” His voice shook more and Liam shifted a little closer, trying not to startle him. 

“So where are you seeing the body?” Liam asked softly. Mason finally turned his head toward him, but Liam could tell he was looking at something just over his shoulder. 

“Everywhere.” Mason said, so softly he barely heard him. “I can’t stop seeing it, Liam. Even when I close my eyes…” his expression crumpled and as the first tears started to fall, Liam pulled him into his arms. “What was that thing? What was it?” Mason asked, fingers tangling in Liam’s shirt just above his heart. 

“I don’t know, Mase. But whatever it was, it’s dead. It can’t hurt you now. I won’t let anything hurt you.” Liam promised, closing his eyes as he tightened his hold on Mason. He rubbed a hand down his back and pressed his face to Mason’s shoulder, keeping quiet as he let their proximity do all of the talking for him. Mason’s heart rate and breathing began to even out, the boy soon relaxed in his hold. It was enough to give Liam some peace of mind. 

At least until his phone rang. 

They jumped apart and Liam snatched it from his bed, answering it without looking at who it was. “Hello?”

“Liam? It’s Lori. I need your help, something happened to Brett.” 

“What happened to him?” Liam asked, shuffling his phone into his free hand and putting the call on speaker. Mason glanced quickly at the name on screen, his eyes widening slightly. “I just saw him an hour ago and-“

“Someone hurt him, Liam.” Lori said fiercely. “I found his car and his broken lacrosse stick next to it. It was covered in his blood and there were traces of wolfsbane on the ground.”

“Hunters,” Mason breathed out. 

“Lori? Is there any sign of him? Any idea where he might have gone?” Liam asked, getting to his feet and reaching his jacket. 

“The woods, maybe? Liam, he’s not answering his phone and I can’t find him. What if he’s dead?”

“He’s not dead,” Mason said immediately. “Don’t think like that. We’re going to find him, okay? I promise you.”

“Mason’s right. Lori, I want you to go find Scott. He’s probably at home right now. Find him and tell him what you saw. I’ll meet you at the school and we’ll find him.” Liam said. “Okay?”

“Thank you,” Lori whispered before hanging up. Liam nodded and scrolled through his contacts, putting another one on speaker as the call went through. 

“Liam?” Lydia’s confused voice came through the speaker.

“I need you to meet Mason and Corey at the high school. Brett’s missing and we need you to help us find him.” Liam said as he walked from his room, Mason on his heels as they hurried downstairs. “Just like when Stiles and Theo were missing and we tried to remember them and you wrote ‘mischief’ everywhere. Just like when you tried to bring Stiles back by remembering all of him.”

“You’re sure he’s missing and not with Josh?” Lydia asked. 

“Positive. Lori found blood and his car was abandoned. We think there’s a new hunter in Beacon Hills and they’re tracking him. Could be more of them, especially after what you and Jordan witnessed in Eichen. For all we know, the hunters and the doctors are on the same side. I need your help. Brett needs your help.” Liam pleaded as he unlocked his car, getting in. Mason shut his door a second later and he started it up. 

“I’ll be right there. Call Josh and tell him-“

“No. Theo’s with him right now and I don’t want either of them in danger. I’ll figure it out. See you there.” Liam said before hanging up. “Mason, you good with that plan?”

“Of course,” he answered immediately. 

“Good.” Liam swallowed and dialed someone else, lifting his phone to his ear. As it went straight to voicemail, he rolled his eyes. “Josh, now isn’t the time to not answer your phone. Quit being a dick. I need you to keep Theo with you at your place until I call you. Something's happened and I can’t give you all the details, but just know that I’m doing everything I can to make this right. So stay inside and keep Theo safe. That’s all I’m asking.” He said before hanging up and sliding his phone back into his pocket. 

“You want me to call Theo?” Mason asked, looking worriedly over at him. 

“No. I’m not telling him what’s going on.” Liam said firmly. “He won’t be able to keep it from Josh and he’ll want to get involved. It’s better this way.” 

“He’s going to be upset with you.” Mason warned as Liam turned onto the main road. 

“I know.” Liam said softly, focusing his attention on the road stretched out in front of him. “I know.”

-

“You know what? I’m fucking sick of this shit,” Theo grumbled as he glared down at his phone. He turned it over in his hands, nostrils flaring in anger as he tries to figure out what next to say to Josh’s voicemail. It was the third one he’d left in the last hour and words were starting to run dry. Flipping his phone over, he frowned at the screen and tilted his phone closer up to his mouth. Despite the fact that he was on speaker, sometimes it was still a pain to be heard. “You left me at work, Josh. I didn’t have a ride home. Why not call Liam, you ask? Because I’m giving him space. My mom? She would flip out if she knew I’d waited this long to call her. Literally anyone else? I tried. I called Brett, Josh. And he didn’t answer. Do you know how much that fucking sucked?” Theo demanded, rubbing his palm against his chest. “It was awful. I get it, okay? You don’t have to put on the act any more. None of you do. I just...I wish you would have told me in person, you know? We were...I thought we were best friends.” He clenched his jaw as tears filled his eyes, sniffling. “Whatever. I’m done.” He said quietly before hanging up. 

That was a lie. If Theo had been anywhere close to being done with his friend, he wouldn’t have been making his way downtown toward the apartment. He was worried to death about him. The first two times he’d called, he’d tried to brush it off as Josh’s phone dying or maybe a dead car battery. It was getting harder to pass that on as the excuse as the hours went by. Now he was starting to regret his most recent voicemail. Deep down, he knew that Josh wouldn’t have ignored him like this. Josh was one of the only ones who wouldn’t try and be polite and ignore his existence. He’s bluntly tell Theo their friendship was over, that he hadn’t forgiven him, and that would be that. 

He wiped at his eyes and sniffled, shivering as the breeze picked up. He glanced down at the battery on his phone, grimacing. He was at eight percent. He needed to call someone and let them know what was going on. Liam it was. He hit speed dial and paused in front of a building, leaning up against it as he waited for his soulmate to answer. “Theo,” Liam sighed heavily as he answered. “Now isn’t a good time.”

“I’m sorry.” Theo whispered, flinching. “But Liam-“

“I really don’t have time to talk right now. Look, tell Josh not to worry. We’ve got it all handled. I need you to stay with him.” Liam said firmly. Theo thought he could hear other voices in the background. 

“Wait. Liam, that’s why I’m calling. Josh-“

“I’ve gotta go. I love you.” Liam said. The line went dead. Theo stared in disbelief down at his phone, watching the number drop down to seven percent. Shit. 

-

Liam ended the call and slid his phone back into his pocket, nodding as he looked at Scott. “I heard you. We track him into the woods, Malia catches his scent, and we find him. No unnecessary risks,” he added. 

“Still nothing from Josh?” Scott asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“No, but Theo’s with him. I’m trying to keep them out of this.” Liam said firmly. Scott nodded in understanding and turned to Lori, who was rocking anxiously on the balls of her feet. 

“We’re going to find your brother and bring him home. You ready for this?”

“Let’s do this.” Lori said, determination in her eyes. Liam nodded and scanned the ground beside Brett’s car, zeroing in on the small drops of blood that led away from the parking lot. He led the others into the woods and focused his senses, immediately picking up the scent of blood. He followed it, jogging slowly so he didn’t miss anything. It wasn’t long before he found himself standing in front of two trees, one embedded with an arrow. Liam stood in front of it and turned, trying to figure out the trajectory as he ghosted his fingers along the side of the arrow. He studied the trees behind him intently and looked down as the others caught up, pointing at the ground. 

“Here,” he said as Lori snatched up Brett’s phone. “I think he set a trap.” He explained, feeling a little proud that his friend had done this. Fighting back meant he hadn’t given up yet. 

“He’s fighting back,” Scott murmured. 

“And now we know he’s alive.” Malia chimed in. Lori pushed past Liam and ripped the arrow from the tree, her fingers slick with blood. 

“But he’s still hurt. We need to find him, he needs to know we’re here.” She turned around, face already starting to morph when Malia stepped in her path. 

“You want the hunter to know we’re here, too?” Malia scoffed lightly.

“He’s new. We can take him.” Liam insisted, looking between the girls at then at Scott. His alpha nodded that he had a point and they both looked at Malia. 

“What if Brett howls back? He’ll lead the hunter right to him.” Malia said softly. Liam’s heart sank a little at the realization she was right. Did they want to risk putting Brett in further danger? He couldn’t live with himself if his friend got hurt because of him. 

“No, we could find him first.” Scott countered. “There’s no human that can track sounds faster than we can. And we’ve got the advantage, we’ve done this before. We know what we’re doing, guys.” 

“How come I can’t catch his scent?” Malia asked. Liam grimaced slightly and looked down, trying to catch a whiff. There was nothing. Nothing but the blood that had brought them here and a scent that tickled his nose with familiarity but he couldn’t place it. If Malia couldn’t track him, this was going to get even harder. 

“He’s masking it.” Lori explained. Liam wondered why. Did Brett think something supernatural was after him? Was it whatever had killed the body in the locker room? 

“Can someone tell him not to?” Malia huffed. Liam shook his head and studied the ground for a moment, his eyes finding the tread of Brett’s shoes and a few drops of blood. 

“He went this way!” He said, rushing off as he started to follow the new trail of blood. He could hear Lori right on his heel, but Scott and Malia still lingered by where Brett had laid his trap. “Hold on, man.” He pleaded under his breath as he kept rubbing. “I’m coming to save you.”

-

Brett dug his fingers into the wound in his chest, gathering a handful of blood and flicking it down across the rocks and ground, smearing some across the tree behind him. If he could misdirect the hunters for just a little longer, he could buy himself some time. “Gotta get out of the woods, man.” He muttered to himself, pulling his overshirt off with a whine of pain. He tied it sharply over his wound to stem the flow of blood, a soft gasp escaping him while he looked around. He had no idea where he was anymore. He’d tried looping back around to the parking lot and had only found himself lost further in the preserve. It wasn’t an area he’d ever truly explored, never having the need to. “Fuck,” he muttered softly. 

His eyes fell to a pile of rocks on the ground, ones that weren’t covered in his blood. He could do something with that. He knelt down and picked up a few, setting a base before he began to stack them on top of each other. Lori had called him. She would know he was missing and when she came looking, she would recognize the sign. He had to hold out just a little while longer. She would go to Satomi and tell her he was missing, his alpha would come and save him. He’d get an earful for making her worry about him, but it would be worth it. He’d spend a few days recovering, maybe playing it up a little so Josh would take care of him, and he’d be good as new. The thought of his boyfriend made his chest tighten. He didn’t want to believe he was dead, not now. He needed the stupid, arrogant, moderately selfish chimera to be okay. He needed to wake up with him again, tangled on the couch while they traded lazy kisses. He needed him to watch the horror movies that Lori hated and to pig out on junk food with him. He needed the man he’d come to love, the person who was closest to filling the deep hole in his heart that the white name on his wrist had left behind. They’d become soulmates of their own choosing and Brett couldn’t lose that. Not a second time.

He scanned the area and lightened his steps, making his way carefully to the grate that had caught his eye. He lifted it with ease, the scent of the tunnels flooding up to him. He could hide himself more easily in the maze. He’d only been down there a handful of times, usually with Lori teaching her how to track as they played hide and seek, and once with Josh when he’d helped the chimera find his belongings from where he’d been with the Dread Doctors. Confident he wouldn’t be followed by the hunters, he grabbed a branch to drag over the grate and dropped himself down into the darkness. He wandered for a while, feeling the exhaustion starting to weigh down on him. He leaned against the wall and let his eyes slip shut, a shaky breath escaping him. He had to do it again. As much as he didn’t want to, he was going to have to make himself bleed more. Lori needed a sign he’d actually made it down here. 

He loosened his shirt and gathered blood again, sharp gasps of pain escaping as he let a handful drip onto the ground. It caught in the light and he grimaced, realizing it was now black. No wonder he hadn’t been healing. Had the arrow been coated in wolfsbane? He hadn’t smelled any, but it would explain the way his blood was turning dark. It meant he had hours left to live, if that. “Fuck,” he whined softly and gripped the pipes rubbing parallel on the wall. As he started to slouch down against the wall, he heard an echo through the tunnels that sent shivers down his spine. They’d found him. Death was on its way. 

-

“The trail’s gone.” Malia said, her words laced with defeat as they stared at the area where Brett’s blood had led them. The only other area to go was back the way they had come. Liam didn’t find that to be likely. 

“Maybe he just stopped bleeding.” Scott suggested, the doubt creeping into his tone that they were all starting to feel. 

“I think we should split up.” Liam said, looking at his alpha and friend. “Lori and I go this way, you guys go that way.” He said, pointing in opposite ways. They needed to start covering more ground if they wanted to find Brett before it was too late. 

“Or maybe in four different directions?” Lori suggested. 

“We should stick together,” Malia said instantly. 

“We have the advantage,” Liam tried. “It’s four against one.”

“Not if we split up,” Malia corrected. Liam was pretty sure she was a little smug with that. 

“Look. I’ve been doing this the past three months without your help.” He said, trying not to roll his eyes. “I think I can make a decision.” He’d spent most of the summer without the leadership of Scott and the older pack, all wrapped up in their post-graduation plans. He didn’t need to be treated like a child. 

“Well, if you’re deciding to do something stupid and die, then go ahead.” Malia snorted softly. 

“It’s one hunter,” Liam pressed as he sighed in exasperation. “One amateur who doesn’t know what they’re doing.”

“Scott?” Malia whined, crossing her arms over her chest. They both looked down at their alpha, waiting for him to take a side in their disagreement. He glanced up and then returned to the dirt, gently brushing his fingers across the tread of a shoeprint. 

“The hunter. He’s covering his tracks.” Liam murmured, his eyes widening. 

“There’s another,” Scott said as he uncovered it. 

“Two of them?” Malia asked, frowning. 

“Maybe more.” Scott answered. Liam muttered a curse, his heart speeding up. They definitely needed to make a plan of action and start looking again. Every second spent like this was a moment the hunters closed in on Brett. He couldn’t be the one to tell Josh that his boyfriend wasn’t coming home again. They had to find him. 

“How many hunters have you seen out here before?” Lori asked, a quiver in her voice. 

“A lot.” Scott said. Liam though back to the dead pool with all of their names on it, a shudder rippling down his spine. 

“Still wanna split up?” Malia muttered. Liam grit his teeth and took a deep breath. 

“We can deal with it. We just need to find Brett’s trail.” He insisted. 

“No, we don’t.” Lori said slowly. Liam turned to watch her walk a few steps closer to a pile of rocks. “Rock balancing. Satomi taught us. It’s him, and I know where he’s going.” She turned, smiling confidently at them. 

“How do you know it’s him? What does that mean?” Liam asked as he followed her closer to the pile of stacked rocks. 

“It’s our pack symbol.” Lori explained, lifting the hair from the back of her neck to show him. “Brett’s using it as a trail marker to let me know I’m on the right path. And I know where he’s going because we’re close to the tunnels. There’s an entrance just over there.” She pointed toward the partially hidden grate. “We used to play hide and seek in the tunnels. It was his way of teaching me how to track using scents. He knows he has to go underground to avoid detection. It’s the only place that makes sense.” She said firmly. 

“Lead the way.” Scott said, nodding at the grate. Lori nodded and pulled the branch off that had partially obscured the cover, throwing it into the woods as she lifted the grate. 

“Hang on a second,” Malia said as she grabbed Scott’s arm. “What if this is just a trap laid by the hunters? We could be walking right into it.” She warned. 

“If we don’t do something, then Brett is going to die.” Liam growled, turning on her as his eyes flashed yellow. “I’m not losing my friend.”

“You barely even liked him until a couple of months ago.” Malia reminded harshly, her lips thinning. 

“You think I don’t regret that right now?” Liam snapped. “All we’re doing is wasting time that could be spent looking for him. I’m not like you, Malia. Even if I didn’t like someone, I wouldn’t leave them behind.” Her eyes turned blue as he spoke, a warning growl escaping her as she watched him. Liam started to step toward her, but his phone began to vibrate. He pulled it out, a scowl forming as he saw Theo’s name flash across the screen. He accepted the call and pulled it to his ear, shaking his head. “Now isn’t the time, Theo. I can’t do this right now!” He exploded, taking them all by surprise. He heard Theo’s sharp inhale on the other end of the line and closed his eyes, breathing out harshly. “Theo-“

“Fuck you.” His soulmate whispered, his voice sounding broken and hurt. The line clicked dead and he stared down at his phone, chest aching.

“Enough.” Scott flashed red eyes at both of them. “Arguing right now isn’t going to help us. We’ll go down into the tunnels. Before we do, we are going to call Lydia and see if she’s found any clues. Maybe she can help us find him faster in that maze.” He reasoned. Liam nodded and let his eyes return to normal, walking over to Lori as she lowered the grate back to the ground. 

“We’ll find him,” he whispered as he pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m not giving up on him.”

“Thank you.” She whispered. Liam nodded and let go, pulling out his phone again. He turned it over in his hand a few times, finally unlocking it and calling Theo back. The call went straight to voicemail and he swallowed hard, taking a couple of steps away from Lori. 

“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” he whispered into the receiver. “Malia and I were...no. I’m making excuses. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that and I’m sorry. I’ll call you back as soon as I can. I...I love you.” He said softly. He ended the call and tried Josh, wincing as his call went voicemail again. “I get that you’re both mad at me, but I promise I’ll explain when everything when this is over. Just keep an eye on Theo. You can punch me later.” He said, ending the message. He slid his phone back into his pocket, his chest aching. “Are we ready?” He asked, looking back at Scott as he finished his call. 

“Lydia didn’t find anything that would help us. We’re on our own.” Scott said, sounding grim. “Tunnels. Let’s go.” 

-

Theo looked numbly down at his phone as he ended the call, watching the screen go completely black. Of course, that was just his luck. “Fuck.” He whispered, shivering as he stepped back toward the awning cover that he’d just walked out from under. It wasn’t like he needed cell service anymore. He sniffled and wiped at his eyes, sliding down the side of the building as he stared out at the slowly falling rain. He knew he was close to Josh’s apartment, but something felt horribly wrong. He had the sinking feeling that his best friend wasn’t going to be there. He’d tried Liam one more time, hoping against all odds that his boyfriend would come and get him, but something else must have happened. He was alone downtown, a few dollars in his pocket, and his cell phone was dead. Just his luck. 

He shook himself from his thoughts and stood back up, taking a deep breath that made his head spin. He was due for another dose of medicine. Not that he had the pills on him. He had thought for sure he’d have been home by now and hadn’t planned on getting stuck without them. He really should have listened to Liam when he’d suggested carrying a small baggy around with a couple just in case. The problem wasn’t the baggy itself, the problem lay in remembering to fill it back up. He swallowed hard and stepped out into the rain, flinching immediately from the chill it brought him. He had to keep going. He had to figure out what the fuck was going on.

Wrapping his arms around himself, he cast a glance down both sides of the street and crossed quickly to the other side where more businesses had awnings he could duck under. Taking as deep a breath as he was able to, he began the lonely trek onward. 

-

Liam pulled the grate securely over his head before descending the ladder into the tunnels, his nose wrinkling as the overwhelming scents surrounded him. He hurried around the corner to catch up with Lori and the others, frowning as something familiar tugged at his senses. He watched as Lori knelt down, dipping her fingers in a dark substance and lifting it up. “He’s been poisoned,” she said quickly. 

“That’s why he’s not healing.” Scott said. The words felt like a lead weight to Liam. He understood why the scent was familiar now. He remembered the Dread Doctors poisoning him with it while they’d experimented on Hayden. 

“What if he only has a few hours to live?” Lori asked as she stood up, her heart racing in fear. 

“If we howl, we can find him.” Liam said softly. It was dangerous, but they were already running out of time. 

“That’s too risky.” Malia cut in. 

“Who cares about the risk?” Lori snapped, whirling around on her. “He could be dying!”

“He’s still moving.” Malia continued, taking a few steps and pointing to the trail of black blood. 

“We just need time to think.” Scott said, stepping closer. 

“We don’t have that.” Liam said. For a moment, the words tasted too familiar and bitter on his tongue. How many times had he and Theo traded a similar comment back and forth during a heated moment? 

“I need him to know that I’m here, that I’m coming for him.” Lori said, pressing urgency in her voice. From the way she looked, she was a wrong word away from wolfing out on them. 

“Yeah, Lori’s right. He has to know we’re here.” Liam said, looking pleadingly to his alpha. He turned his head back down the tunnels, ignoring Malia telling him to wait as he let out a roar. It bounced off the pipes around them and carried through the tunnels, echoing down the walls. “I’m coming for you.” He whispered, praying that Brett would get the message. Just a little longer. 

-

Brett grunted as he began to climb the wall of pipes, taking care to keep his weight as centered as possible. He eased himself up onto the scaffolding above himself and groaned, dropping his head down against the bars. He’d made it. As long as he stayed still, he’d make it. “Good job, Talbot.” He whispered to himself with a weak laugh. He shifted his gaze to further down the bar he rested on, smiling weakly at the boy sitting just a few feet away. “You didn’t think I’d make it, did you?” He asked, his body trembling lightly. The boy smiled and huffed out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. Brett knew deep down that he couldn’t really be there. But it brought him some comfort to know that, in his last hour, Josh was by his side. He wasn’t stupid. He knew he wasn’t going to make it, not this time. He was too weak. 

“I never doubted you for a second, handsome.” The hallucination of Josh flashed him a bold white smile. “You and me? We’re end game, baby. How could I do this without you?” Josh chuckled, lightly kicking his legs as they dangled below.

“I keep telling you that,” Brett muttered weakly. “You wouldn’t be able to make it without me.” He let his eyes shut for a moment, his ears catching footsteps closing in. “Baby boy-“ he whispered. 

“Shut up, Brett. Don’t let them find you.” Josh ordered. He nodded and swallowed hard, trembling as a roar echoed down the tunnels and made him lift his head.  _ Liam? _ “About time, Dunbar.” Josh muttered under his breath. Brett kept his head up, slowly shifting his gaze to the ground where the two hunters had decided to convene. 

“How did he get behind us?” The woman, who he now knew to be Monroe, asked. Brett had overheard plenty of their soft conversations as they’d tracked him through the tunnels. 

“He didn’t. That wasn’t Brett, that was a werewolf making a mistake.” Gerard hissed. He didn’t know how the old man had discovered who he was, but he was more concerned about Gerard telling this woman about Scott and his pack. 

“His friends are coming for him?” Monroe asked. Brett felt a sliver of satisfaction from the fear in her voice. She should be afraid. If Liam and his pack were coming, maybe he wasn’t going to die after all. 

“It’s safe to assume they’re coming for us,” Gerard corrected. 

“Why are we going back? What if there’s a pack?” Monroe demanded. 

“Oh, there is. We can count on it.” Gerard chuckled. The amount of glee in his voice made Brett’s stomach roll. He needed the hunters to move on, not backtrack. 

“Wait, how many are we talking about?” Monroe asked nervously. 

“That’s not the right question. You’re thinking from a place of fear.” Gerard murmured. 

“Brett,” Josh hissed in warning. “Catch it!” He pointed and Brett looked down in time to see blood drip from the end of his sleeve. He reached out, snatching it in the palm of his hand. The motion made pain lance through his body and he bit down harshly on his lower lip, drawing blood. Gerard looked around for a moment, almost as though he’d sensed the near fatal error, and Monroe pulled his attention again. 

“I’m thinking logically and mathematically. Two of us against too many of them.” She explained. Brett knew it wouldn’t be enough to deter the older hunter. He seemed to have far too much experience and knew Scott and his pack too well.

“Try thinking strategically.” Gerard suggested. “That’s Scott McCall’s Achilles’ heel. Like most teenagers, he thinks with his heart.” He said it with distaste that made Brett’s blood boil. 

“So what’s out strategy?” Monroe asked. 

“Right now? Divide and conquer.” Gerard said, voice barely above a whisper. He started to turn back the way they had come. Monroe hesitated for a moment before going ahead, splitting them up. Brett’s jaw trembled as he lowered his face down against the bars, his entire body starting to shake. For a moment, he thought he could feel the phantom touch of fingers stroking through his hair. He closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, almost able to smell the chimera.

“Baby boy…”

-

“Why didn’t he answer?” Lori demanded, storming through the tunnel in search of her brother. 

“Maybe, maybe he didn’t hear us.” Liam tried, wishing to give her a little bit of hope. The longer the search took, the more his belief in a happy ending began to dwindle. 

“Maybe he can’t.” Malia spoke up. Liam’s stomach twisted at the thought. Had the hunters found him? Were they torturing him? Had they killed him yet?

“Lori, no!” Scott yelled, lunging forward. Liam and Malia jerked to a halt, watching in horror as something embedded itself in Scott’s torso and pinned him to the wall. Lori hurried back over the wire she had tripped, helping Malia grip the bar while Liam grabbed Scott’s shoulders to help hold him up. The girls quickly pulled the bar free as Scott’s pained noises filled the air around him. Liam barely caught his alpha before Malia took over, lowering him to the ground. “They knew we were coming,” Scott groaned out. 

“Don’t talk, just heal and let us figure this out.” Malia said, a note of panic in her voice. 

“They’ve been a step ahead of us this whole time.” Scott whispered. 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t wait around. We have to go.” Lori said, looking apologetically at the wounded boy and then at Liam. 

“We still have the numbers, three to two. We’re faster and we’re stronger.” Liam reasoned out, trying to find something to rekindle his hope for a good ending. 

“They’re smarter,” Scott said gently. 

“I don’t care who’s smarter or faster or whatever. My brother's going to die.” Lori said, the anxiety creeping into her voice. 

“Something's not right.” Scott whispered weakly, his head leaning back against the pipes. “That arrow, the trip wire, the poison. These aren’t amateurs.”

“But they’ve never fought us before.” Liam said, swallowing back his own fears. 

“And you’ve never fought hunters, Liam.” Scott sighed. “We need to stick together.” He said, attempting to get back up. 

“I need to go.” Lori pressed, shifting anxiously on her feet. 

“No, you’re not going alone.” Liam shook his head. Brett would never forgive him if anything happened to Lori. “I-I’ll go with you.” 

“Liam,” Scott tried again. “You don’t know who they are or what they’re capable of.”

“Look,” Liam sighed and knelt down beside of him, “I know who we are. We never give up, especially when it’s someone innocent, when it’s someone alone, when it’s one of our friends.” He reminded. Scott took a shaky breath and nodded, his expression pinched. 

“Okay, go, go. All of you, I’ll catch up.” Scott said. Lori wasted no time heading deeper into the tunnels and Liam followed, glancing back to find Malia kneeling beside Scott and refusing to move. He shook his head and kept after Lori, hoping that there was still time to find them. They hurried until they reached a fork in the tunnels, both stumbling to a halt. 

“Which way?” Liam asked, looking around. “Did we leave anything for you to find, like, like a signal, or, more rocks?” He stammered. Lori spun around as she took another look, pacing anxiously as they searched for clues. 

“I don’t see anything.” She said, confirming his fear. “I don’t hear anything.”

“We’ll find something. He’s gonna be okay.” Liam said, turning to face her. 

“How do you know?” Lori asked, desperation and a hint of anger rolling off of her. 

“Because he’s strong. He’s really strong. He’s knocked me down on the lacrosse field more than once. Now, when I see him coming, I do everything I can to get the hell out of the way.” He confessed. Lori let out a weak laugh, her eyes watering as she looked at him. 

“Brett actually started playing lacrosse for me.” She said.

“For you?” Liam hadn’t known that. He’d never been close enough to ask and by the time they’d become friends, he’d just assumed Brett simply loved the sport. 

“I didn’t have any friends at my old school. Devenford Prep needed lacrosse players, so Brett practiced all summer. He got a scholarship and told them that they had to take me if they wanted him.” Lori explained, sniffling and wiping at her eyes. 

“Hey. We’re gonna find him.” Liam said softly. Whatever it took. He slowly turned to scan the tunnels again, frowning as something tickled his nose. “Hey, do you smell that? It’s...it’s sour.”

“It smells like something’s rotting.” Lori said. The wheels began to turn in his head and he whirled around, their eyes widening in unison. 

“I think it’s poison.”

“That’s how we’ll find him,” Lori let out a nervous laugh. She nodded and Liam turned, starting to run again. “Liam?” She asked, making him look back. “He really didn’t like you at first. Not because of your IED, but you were a better lacrosse player. It really pissed him off that you were just naturally talented and he had to work for it.”

“Well, he’s definitely played better than me lately. Don’t tell him I said that.” Liam grinned. He guided Lori through the maze of tunnels, tracking the scent that was slowly getting stronger. They had to be close.

“They all look the same, are you sure we’re going the right way?” Lori asked. 

“I’m positive.” Liam explained, nodding. “I’ve gotten lost down here before, more than once. Just follow the scent.”

“I hate that scent.” Lori sighed. Liam definitely didn’t disagree on that one. He took a deep breath and paused midstep, something faint grabbing his attention. 

“Wait. I hear something. It sounds like…”

“A heartbeat.” Lori said, racing down the tunnel. Liam was on her heels immediately, straining his ears to see if he detected anyone else nearby. They came to an end and Lori’s gaze darted around before she finally found her brother in the dark. “Brett!” She rushed over, kneeling down and grabbing his arm. 

“You found the rocks?” Brett murmured, his voice dazed and confused. 

“Yeah, I found the rocks.” She laughed wetly. Brett huffed a weak laugh and lifted his gaze, eyes widening a fraction. 

“Liam.” The disbelief in his voice made Liam’s chest ache. Did Brett not think he would have come for him? Perhaps he was expecting Josh. 

“Hey, we’re gonna get you out of here.” Liam said softly, reaching for Brett’s arm to pull him onto his feet. 

“You’re a dumbass for doing this,” Brett grunted through gritted teeth. Liam slid his hand lower, agony rushing through him for a moment as black lines traveled through his veins. It was worth it to see some of Brett’s pain dissipate. 

“Oh, is that your way of thanking me?” Liam asked lightly, hoping the familiar banter would keep Brett lucid and talking. 

“No, that’s my way of calling you a dumbass.” Brett quipped back easily, a weak laugh escaping him. “But, thanks.” He added sincerely, a tremor running through him.

“Couldn’t leave you all alone down here. Josh would get on my nerves.” Liam joked, smiling weakly at his friend. “I’m so fucking glad you’re okay.”

“Save it for the hallmark channel, Dunbar. I’m not dead yet.” Brett murmured, returning his smile. Liam opened his mouth to reply, but movement at the end of the tunnel caught his ears. He turned just as a flashbang grenade was thrown, two smoke bombs rolling out. 

“They’re coming!” Lori said. 

“Go, I'll hold them off.” Liam said. A shrill noise warbled through the air, taking him back to the night of his first full moon where Scott and Argent had pinned him down. “Go, go!” He roared at his friends, shielding his eyes as he turned and positioned himself between them and the threat. He covered his ears to block the noise, his eyes glowing yellow as he let out an inhuman roar. Charging down the tunnel, he let the noise guide him to where the noise emitter was sticking from the pipes. He ripped it out and snapped it in pieces, looking around for a moment. As he focused his senses and ringing ears, horror washed over him. “There’s no one here. Lori.” He whispered, turning and breaking into a sprint. 

-

Brett stumbled alongside of his sister, doing everything he could to keep pace and not slow her down. The hunters hadn’t known about her, the last thing he wanted was to give them any kind of ammunition against him. He could barely keep his legs moving, everything in him was burning and turning his insides black. He almost wished they’d never found him. “No, you don’t mean that.” Josh whispered. Brett grunted and lifted his head up, watching the hallucination that was matching pace with them. “You? You’re going to join me on the outside, Talbot. I’ll kill you if you don’t.”

“Copy that.” Brett muttered. He ignored the confused look Lori presented him with and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. A shrill noise forced them to turn down another tunnel and he tightened his hold on his sister, the flashing light burning his eyes as they passed an emitter. 

“Just a little further, we’re almost out of here.” Lori said, tugging him in a new direction. He lifted his gaze to the ladder she stopped in front of, unable to voice a complaint as she began pushing him up. His vision swam as he began the climb, shivers wracking his body. Dimly, he thought he heard Liam shouting through the tunnels, but it was getting harder to know what was real and what wasn’t. He knew that Josh couldn’t possibly be the one removing the grate from the tunnel, but there he was, holding out his hand for Brett to take. He let out a breathless laugh as he took his first lungful of clean air, the scent of fresh rain flooding his nose. Lori stepped out from behind him and took his hand, leading him toward safety from the middle of the street. They made it two steps. 

Brett saw headlights and turned his head, fingers curling around Lori’s before they were thrown to the ground. Black blood gushed from his injuries, spilling from the corners of his lips as he tried to open his eyes again. It was hard to see through the haze of blood and pain, but he swore he saw Josh leaning over him. “Baby boy…”

“Close your eyes,” Lori whispered. Brett did just that. 

“It’s time to come home to me, Brett. Say goodbye.” Josh whispered. Then it was silent. 

-

Lori had learned of death when she was six years old. Standing beside her older brother, her small fingers wrapped around his pinkie, she’d stood with him as they had watched their childhood home burn to the ground. She vividly remembered looking up at Brett, his face flickering in the shadows of the fire, as tears shimmered in his fierce golden eyes. They’d stayed rooted to the spot until the paramedics and the fire department had arrived, only then allowing themselves to be moved. Lori remembered the way Brett had carried himself after that, distant but determined. He’d sheltered her as best as a seven year old could, taking the brunt of the questions from the police and paramedics.

Everything she knew from there was what Brett had told her. Their parents had woken them in the middle of the night, urging them to get up and move quickly. They’d run into Brett’s bedroom and told the pair to climb down the garden trellis. Lori couldn’t remember doing that. She couldn’t remember the explosion that had followed her descent down, engulfing their parents and leaving them orphaned. Satomi had picked them up from the hospital, apparently their next of kin as designated by their parents. Lori doesn’t remember any of it. Not the nights she’d spent screaming herself awake and crying for their parents, not the way Brett had shushed her back to sleep and let her sleep in his bed for six months. Everything after the fire for the first year just felt like a blur.

The second time Lori had faced death, it had almost been her own. She and Brett had nearly died as a result of the dead pool, something that would never leave her memory. She’d almost lost her older brother to Garrett and Violet, close to adding another body to the family plot in the cemetery. It had rattled her to the core and for weeks after that, she’d spent her nights sleeping on Brett’s floor. She’d always woken up with their positions reversed, Brett sprawled on the floor while she’d been wrapped in his blankets. They’d talked about it not long after. Brett had sat her down at the kitchen table and explained that he was always going to outlive her, but he would do everything he could to make sure she wasn’t alone when he finally died. Back then, they’d been talking about the future where she’d been married with kids and had a family of her own to support her. 

It was never supposed to end like this. 

The thud of Brett’s body slamming into the pavement was the worst moment of her life. She dragged herself across the pavement, tears rolling down her cheeks as she reached for the hand of her big brother. When the black lines refused to crawl across her arm, she knew it was too late. He was too far gone from the poison and she didn’t have the strength to try CPR. All she wanted to do was lay her head down and die beside him. Lori knew that she’d heard her brother utter his last breath. She wished it wasn’t true. As her head came down onto his shoulder and the darkness claimed her next, she squeezed his hand and let go. When Lori was six years old, she faced the death of her parents. Ten years later, at the age of sixteen, Lori listened to her brother’s heart stop beating. She was alone. 

-

Liam was too late. He reached the bottom of the ladder as squealing tires sounded overhead, the fall of bodies echoing like gunshots. He wasn’t aware of his features shifting as he leapt from the tunnel, a deep growl escaping him as he landed on the street. He turned abruptly, wincing from the glow of headlights trained on him and his friends. He watched as Lori dragged herself across the ground, sobs wracking her body as she reached for her brother. “Close your eyes,” she whispered as she touched his arm. She dropped her head down and began to cry, Brett’s heartbeat disappearing. “I couldn’t take away his pain,” she wailed softly as she looked at him. Liam couldn’t open his mouth, the ache in his chest cracking him apart. He watched as her eyes fell shut, her head dropping forward as her own heartbeat began to slow. 

Another fallen friend. 

Liam roared, his rage and grief consuming him as he let out a pained scream that seemed to echo for miles. He lowered his gaze when the door of the truck that had killed his friends opened, the driver stepping out. It snapped him back to awareness and he turned in a slow circle, realizing far too late that he was still wolfed out. Other cars slowly crawled to the intersection and he let out another roar, this time warning people to stay away. Over his dead body were they going to take Brett and Lori from him. In the distance, Liam could hear police sirens and an ambulance rushing to the scene. He took a step toward Brett and Lori, snarling when a hand came up through the sewers and grabbed him by the leg. “No!” He hissed, growling down at the werecoyote.

“Liam! We can’t let them try and arrest you! I’m sorry about your friends, but you’re going to get us all caught and killed. Get down here!” Malia ordered, her eyes flashing blue. Liam turned away from her and stared at the two broken bodies scattered on the pavement, his breath hitching as his features shifted back to normal. He stumbled slightly and lowered himself through the opening, dropping down without a word. Scott took him silently in his arms and Liam hid his face, his entire body shaking as the grief took his breath away.

-

Theo shuddered hard as he leaned himself against the building, staring out dejectedly into the rain. He’d been right. Josh wasn’t home and his car was nowhere in sight. Theo couldn’t help but wonder if the chimera had finally skipped town, tired of his life here. Rationally, he knew that wasn’t what had happened. Josh wasn’t the type of person to just bail when things got rough. At least, Theo hadn’t believed he was. It was getting hard to tell what was real anymore versus what cruel realities his mind decided to bring into existence. He stared miserably out at the parking lot, wishing that the rain would let up for just a few minutes. Just long enough for him to walk to the convenience station and plead with the clerk to let him make a call. As he took a step back into the pouring rain, a familiar car pulled into the parking lot and crept up alongside the curb. “Lydia?” He took a hesitant step closer and the door was pushed open, blessedly warm air reaching out for him. He hurried to climb in, reaching for the heat to crank it up a notch as he shut the door. “Oh my god, you have no idea how happy I am to see you right now. Can I use your charger? My phone died and I couldn’t call anyone for help.” Theo said, already reaching for it. 

“Why were you standing out in the rain?” Lydia asked, turning her windshield wipers to the highest setting. “Where’s Josh?”

“The fuck if I know.” Theo muttered, plugging his phone in. “He never answered my calls, so I came straight here. No sign of him. Can I use your phone? I need to call my mom and let her know I’m on my way.” He said, teeth chattering lightly as he tugged at his wet shirt.

“Of course.” Lydia bossed, pulling out her phone and offering it to him. Theo took it with a grateful smile and a quiet thanks, going straight into her contact menu. “Theo-“

“Just a second,” he muttered as he punched the call button beside Liam’s name. Anger pulsed through him with each ring, his teeth grinding together as agitation flared through him. Fuck Liam for going off on him when Theo had needed him most. For all Liam had known… 

“Hello?” Liam answered, sounding exhausted.

“Thought you might like to know I wasn’t dead in a ditch,” Theo snarled. “Not that it fucking mattered to you when I needed help. If I get pneumonia and end up in the hospital, this is…” he clenched his jaw, barely holding himself back from blaming Liam. “Something happened to Josh, Liam. I don’t know what, but he’s gone. But every time I tried to fucking tell you, you were too busy for me. So I walked. I had to walk from school-“

“Brett’s dead.” The interruption didn’t come from Liam. Theo snapped his gaze to Lydia, disapproval clear in the firm line of her lips. On the other end of the line, Liam drew a shuddering breath. 

“What?” Theo asked, his heart sinking. “That’s not…” He didn’t have a chance to formulate his thoughts. Lydia snatched the phone from his hand without a word, saying something soft and soothing to Liam. He watched as she ended the call and set the phone inside her cup holder, turning to look at him. “What happened?” He asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“Hunters shot him and tracked him through the woods. Liam and Scott found him, but Brett and his sister got hit by a car when they were escaping the tunnels. Scott said Brett was poisoned. It was too late to save him.” She said quietly, her expression softening. “I’m sorry.”

“No.” Theo shook his head and reached for his phone, relieved that it had come to life. He punched in Josh’s number and grimaced as it went to voicemail, tears burning in his eyes. “Fucking pick up, you jackass. Fucking answer me.” He snarled, hanging up and trying again. On the fourth call, Lydia reached over and gently touched his knee. “He can’t fucking be dead,” Theo croaked as he lifted tearful eyes to her face. “No. What the fuck?”

“I’m sorry you had to find out like this.” Lydia said softly, tears in her own eyes. “I tried to save him. I couldn’t find him in time. I don’t know why I couldn’t.” 

“He...he’s not dead.” Theo said, voice trembling as he turned his head slowly and stared out the window to see the apartment building. “They’re going to bring him back. They...they can’t let him die. Melissa won’t let it happen.”

“The ambulance has already taken their bodies to the morgue. Brett and Lori are gone, Theo.” Lydia replied quietly. The words ripped him open, threatening to take everything as the onslaught of tears began. Lydia didn’t speak after that, easing the car out onto the main road as she drove Theo home. He cried silently for the rest of the ride, doing everything he could to keep it together until he was behind closed doors. The remainder of the ride was a blur, time passing in a way that didn’t make sense to Theo. A fifteen minute car ride felt like five seconds and four years at the same time, but Theo was stumbling through his front door before he was ready. 

“Theodore Raeken!” Connie’s voice carried from the living room and his knees buckled. He hit the floor with a pained noise, a sob tumbling from his lips as he heard his mother yell for him. His vision was too blurred to focus on her as she sank down beside him, drawing him into her arms as she asked him what happened. 

“Brett’s dead,” Theo whimpered. He shuddered against her and let out a broken wail, the sound grating to his own ears. He tried to stop, but his body refused to cooperate with him. As Connie rocked him and held him tight, stroking his hair and murmuring that everything was going to be okay, Theo couldn’t help but feel like a part of him was gone. If this was how it felt to lose a friend, Theo wished now more than ever that he’d never met Liam Dunbar. Falling in love with him had been amazing, but breaking Liam’s heart by loving him until Theo’s approaching death was going to be the end of them. He folded himself down against his mother’s shoulder, sobbing brokenly until it felt like there was nothing left inside of him. 

He didn’t remember his mother guiding him into the shower or giving him clothes, wrapping him in blankets and bringing him tea when he’d finally made it into his bed. He grabbed the stuffed wolf that he loved, clinging to it as he’d stared at his phone and waited for something. Anything to tell him this was just one horrible nightmare that he could wake up from. Preferably one that took him back in time to the end of summer, just before he’d chosen to break off his relationship with his soulmate. He would give anything to go back and shake some sense into himself and show that version of himself the cold future that awaited him. Maybe if things had gone differently between them, none of this would have happened. Josh wouldn’t have been pulled away from spending time with Brett and Lori. He would have been at the school with Brett when...he didn’t let himself finish the thought, a shudder rippling down his spine. It was a path of no return.

As midnight approached, Theo gave up on the idea of sleep. He tossed back his blankets and grabbed his hoodie from the floor, tugging it over his head before leaning down and grabbing Sunny. Tucking the stuffed wolf beneath his hoodie, he grabbed his phone from the nightstand and sent his mother an apologetic text before slipping out of his window. He pulled up his hood, shuddering as rain began to pelt down on him. He headed for the edge of the room and climbed down the trellis on the back of the house, gritting his teeth as pain flared through his chest with each labored breath. Taking a moment to collect himself, he leaned against the side of the house and looked up at the nearly full moon. He couldn’t imagine how Liam was dealing with it all right now. He couldn’t blame him for not answering Theo’s texts, he was probably too busy trying to fight off the call of the moon while also dealing with the grief. 

He tugged the strings of his hoodie and shielded his face from the cold rain, hurrying around the side of his house. He walked briskly to the Geyer house just down the street, unable to break into a light job from the throbbing in his chest. When he reached the back of the house, he was pale and breathing hard from the overexertion of climbing down his garden trellis. He leaned his forehead against the wall, shuddering as rain slipped through his hoodie and carved an icy trail down his spine. He arched away from it with a pained noise, teeth chattering as he glared up at the heavens. “Fuck you,” he muttered bitterly. Glancing around, he made his way to the garbage can leaning against the house and slowly climbed on top of it. It wobbles dangerously and he lurched up, grabbing onto the edge of the roof before struggling to pull himself up. Pain flared through him and his arms quivered, threatening to give way as he dragged himself up over the edge. He curled in on himself for a moment, gasping for breath as he tried to calm his now racing heart. Everything in him ached as he began the slow crawl to Liam’s bedroom window. By the time he’d made it, spots were flitting across his vision and all he could hear was the blood rushing through his ears. 

He gripped the edge of the window, fingers slipping off twice before he managed to finally keep hold and ease it open. He dragged himself through the small opening and grunted, falling to the floor and landing on top of Liam’s lacrosse gear. Bright yellow eyes flashed at him from across the room. “Theo?” Liam asked hoarsely.

“They make it look easy in the movies,” Theo huffed, a harsh shudder rippling through him. 

“What are you doing here?” Liam whispered. He climbed from his bed and knelt down beside Theo, frowning as he reached out to touch him. “Your heart-“

“Doesn’t matter,” Theo muttered. He pushed himself up from the floor, leaning back from Liam’s outstretched hand to remove his hoodie. He hugged Sunny to his chest, shuddering again as he wrapped himself around the stuffed wolf. “I needed to make sure you were okay.”

“Come on.” Liam sighed heavily and took Theo by the arm, gently getting him back onto his feet. He led him into the bathroom and grabbed his towel, silently handing it to Theo before going back into his bedroom. Wordlessly he stripped down his clothes and dried himself off, smiling gratefully when Liam returned with a change of dry clothes. In the bright light of the bathroom, Theo could clearly make out the dark circles and red blotches over Liam’s face. His heart clenched and he reached out, pulling Liam into his arms. The werewolf bent to him easily, his body swaying lightly as Theo’s arms came up around his back. “I’m sorry I yelled,” he whispered against Theo’s neck. 

“I’m sorry I bitched you out.” Theo murmured. “I was having a shitty day and I wanted you to hurt the way I was.”

“Should have listened to you,” Liam sighed. “We both screwed up today. Just...can we put this one behind us? All of it?” He asked softly, pulling back and looking tearfully at his soulmate. “I’m not...I’m…” Whatever he was going to say slipped away, a choked sob spilling from his lips. Theo tightened his hold reflexively and Liam broke, leaning entirely into his chest as his body shook from the force of his grief. Theo stroked a hand from the base of his neck to the small of Liam’s back, unable to murmur comfort as the words tangled on the edge of his tongue. What was he supposed to say? How was he supposed to fix any of this? Brett was never meant to die. Theo was always the one who was supposed to go first, not his friends. With one dead and Josh’s fate uncertain but grim...his world was starting to feel more and more bleak. He swallowed hard as Liam rubbed his face against the side of his neck, tears of his own starting to fall. 

Theo didn’t know how long they stood like that, anchoring each other. He only really came back to the present when the ache in his legs started to become too much, the tile floor too hard on his body. Liam was the first to pull back from the hug, arm wrapped around Sunny to keep the wolf from falling. He took Theo by the hand and hit the lights, leading him out into the bedroom where the comforter was already rolled back. He climbed under the covers and pulled Theo alongside of him, tucking his face down against his neck and taking a deep breath. “I’ve fucking missed this,” Liam confessed quietly. Theo’s heart skipped a beat and he grinned, sliding his hand under Liam’s shirt to touch the warm skin of his back. “I can’t believe you snuck over here.”

“I texted my mom and told her I needed to see you. This was more important.” Theo said, kissing the top of his hair. “I’m so sorry about Brett. I know you two had your differences at times, but he was still a friend.”

“We had a stupid fight earlier today.” Liam sniffled. “I was having some trouble with staying calm and focused. I let it out on him on the field and definitely broke some bones. He got pissed and got in my face. We apologized, but I still felt shitty about it. I just...I was so fucking close, Theo. I was with him and Lori right at the end. The hunters...they duped us. I sent Brett and Lori right into their trap. I...I got them killed. They would have been safe if it hadn’t been for me telling them to run. They wouldn’t have been in front of that car-“

“You can’t think like that.” Theo said firmly, tightening his hold on his boyfriend. “It doesn’t lead you anywhere good. You did everything you could for them, Liam. I know you did.”

“It didn’t even hurt at the end for him.” Liam whispered. “Lori couldn’t take his pain. And he...he was talking like Josh was there with him.” Theo’s heartbeat stuttered painfully at that. Was it possible the chimera was dead? That he’d crossed into the afterlife and had been waiting for Brett on the other side? He swallowed thickly and screwed his eyes shut, biting the inside of his cheek. “Theo?”

“Josh is dead, too, isn’t he?” He asked, unable to speak above a strained whisper. Liam’s silence told him that he must be as good as dead. “Oh, fuck,” he whined softly. “Fuck.” New tears burned in his eyes, slowly leaking from the corners and trailing down his cheeks. “I was supposed to be first, Liam. Not Brett. Not Josh. Me.”

“Don’t.” Liam’s voice cracked sharply. “Not tonight. I can’t...please.” He pleaded weakly. Theo sucked in a shaky breath and nodded, digging his fingers lightly into Liam’s back in an attempt to ground himself. 

“I’m sorry.” Theo whispered. He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for this time, but Liam nodded weakly and he knew his soulmate understood all the spaces left between the unspoken words. He was apologizing for being so angry and hurtful with his words. He was sorry for making it about himself when they should be grieving their friends. He was sorry that he’d broken their relationship to this extreme. He was sorry about how he’d treated Liam as of late, for making him worry and throwing punches with his words. Above all, he was sorry that he couldn’t make any of it right again. Forgiveness was something that was going to stay just out of reach for the rest of his limited future, taunting him but not close enough to grab onto. They’d lost three friends that day, Brett and Lori by a car and Josh possibly by hunters. Whatever was going on in Beacon Hills, they needed to put an end to as quickly as possible. Theo wasn’t sure Liam could handle losing anyone else, not if he felt as broken as Theo did. They’d faced enough strife in the last year, couldn’t they have a break?

-

“I hate this.” Liam said, frowning as he tried to readjust his tie in the mirror. Theo sighed from behind him and stood from his spot on the bed, walking over and reaching around Liam to take hold of his tie. “Thanks,” he said softly. Theo hummed in acknowledgment, eyes focused on the task at hand. As he finished and Liam straightened his tie, he had to admit that Theo certainly knew what he was doing. 

“Learned how when Tara died,” Theo sighed and stepped back. “It’s just something that stuck with me. You ready for this?” He asked, squeezing Liam’s shoulder.

“No.” Liam shuddered as he exhaled, swallowing around the lump forming in his throat. “But I have to be. Satomi asked me personally to come. I can’t really say no to that. And Brett…he was a friend. I need to do this.” He whispered. It was the same thing he’d told his mom when she’d taken him suit shopping. He hadn’t ever needed one until junior prom and he’d been able to get by with a rental. His mom had asked if he had wanted to just rent again but he’d declined. He needed to own a suit. Brett and Lori were gone, Josh was probably gone as well, and who knew how many others were to follow? And since he’d stopped growing...the suit should last a few more years. Long enough to make it to Theo’s eventual funeral. 

“I’ll be beside you every step of the way.” Theo promised. Liam turned and grabbed his hand tightly, offering the barest hint of a smile in return. They walked downstairs where Jenna and Connie were waiting, their mothers smiling sympathetically before leading them out to the car. As they climbed into the back, Liam shuffled down a couple of inches and let his head drop down onto Theo’s shoulder. Soft lips pressed against his hair and the hand holding his own squeezed tight. There was nothing more to be said. The ride to the chapel was quiet, no one knowing what could appropriately fill the silence or try and take away some of their pain. Liam knew his own chemosignals were everywhere, but it was hard to differentiate his pain from that of the other passengers. If he was already hurting like this and struggling more with his control, the funeral itself would be a nightmare. 

They made their way into the church, signing the guest registry and taking a pamphlet that detailed the procession of the service. If Liam was being honest, he didn’t understand why Satomi was going to all of this trouble. He knew the pack had practiced Buddhism, but when he’d asked she had just told him it was what Brett and Lori had wanted. He wasn’t too surprised by it. Brett had never quite followed the beliefs of his pack. And what Brett had done, Lori typically followed. He’d never known a sibling bond to be anything quite like theirs. Then again, his main group of friends didn’t have siblings with the exception of Hayden. He shook the thoughts away and followed his mother to the front of the church where Satomi was sitting, the alpha looking stern but exhausted. Liam couldn’t imagine the pain of losing not only two pack members but her children as well. She’d practically raised them.

“Liam. Theo.” She greeted politely, bowing her head. “Thank you for coming.”

“We wouldn’t have missed it.” Liam replied softly. “I am so sorry for your loss, Satomi. I’d do anything to bring them back.”

“Thank you, Liam.” The kind words echoed in her eyes for a moment. “He valued the rekindling of your friendship and he admired you. I think he would want you to know that. Lori appreciated the way you never left her out. If you can stay after the funeral, I have something for you. For both of you,” she added with a sharp nod at Theo. 

“Yes ma’am.” Theo replied. “If there’s anything we can do for you, please let us know. Come on, Liam. We should take our seats.” He said softly. Their mothers shared a quick word with Satomi and Theo led Liam away, keeping an arm around his waist as they moved to the middle of the church and into an empty row. “Do you know a lot of the people here?” He asked softly as they sat down.

“Former teammates of mine are in the third row on the left,” Liam muttered as he lifted his head. “Pack is directly behind Satomi. This place is crawling with wolves.” He added, rubbing his sweaty palms against his knees. “There are a lot I don’t recognize. Lori’s friends, I guess some are new teachers at Devenford, and people like Brett’s boss and coworkers. I didn’t know there were this many wolves in Beacon Hills,” he confessed softly.

“Me either. Probably the influence of the Nemeton.” Theo mumbled. 

“Corey and Mason just got here.” Liam said softly, turning his head just as the doors opened. He watched his friends make their way down the aisle and shifted back against the pew, nodding in greeting as Mason and Corey slipped past them and sat on Theo’s other side. “Hey. Thanks for coming.”

“He was our friend,” Mason said simply. “How are you holding up? Have you slept any better?” Liam tensed at the reminder of his nightmares and Theo soothed a hand down his leg, wishing he could take it away. 

“I wake up each time they hit the ground.” Liam said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He held it and slowly released it, his shoulders slumping down. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to stop seeing them die. I didn’t even see it but…”

“The mind is a vicious thing.” Theo sighed softly and leaned his shoulder against Liam’s for support. 

“We’re here if you need anything. Both of you,” Corey reminded gently.

“Anything from Josh?” Mason asked. Theo grimaced and shook his head, tears prickling uncomfortably at the corners of his eyes. 

“No. Sheriff Stilinski traced his phone to the junkyard and found it abandoned in a car. For now, they’re treating him like any other runaway kid.” Theo murmured, screwing his eyes shut for a moment. It was easier to believe he was dead rather than cling to some impossible sliver of hope. Hope was just going to let him down in the end. Josh had taught him that. 

“You think he’s heard about Brett?” Corey asked, chewing the inside of his cheek. “Maybe that’s why he hasn’t come back.”

“He’s not coming back. He’s dead.” Theo said flatly. Before anyone could suggest otherwise, the pastor approached the front of the room and silence fell. Theo found it hard to focus. He tried to stay present for Liam’s sake, but he couldn’t. His mind kept going back to Josh, imagining a scenario like this. If the chimera showed up dead, would he have even wanted a funeral? Would anyone be willing to attend one? He knew that the four of them would be there, as well as Lydia for support, but the rest of the pack surely wouldn’t attend. No one had liked Josh from the beginning except for Theo. He was pretty sure that Liam and their friends would still hate him if it hadn’t been for Josh helping save him from the Wild Hunt. Part of him was deeply angry with the chimera. How could he have been stupid enough to get himself caught and killed? What had happened to him? Had it been painful? Had he spent his last moments screaming and begging for help?

“Theo?” Liam’s voice cut through his thoughts and he turned his head, exhaling shakily. “Your heart…” his boyfriend began, soft and worried. 

“Sorry,” Theo whispered roughly. He cleared his throat and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to force back the tears that had built while he’d been lost in fake scenarios. 

“Don’t be. We’re going to find him.” Liam promised softly. Theo let out a choked noise and shook his head, wordlessly looking toward the front of the church. Satomi was standing in front of a podium, saying a few words about her adopted children and the lives they’d lived. When her voice wavered, he felt the ripple of misery like a tidal wave over them all. Satomi had always been a strong woman and Theo had never known her to break like this. She took a breath to steady herself, looking around the room. She invited others to come up and share their favorite stories of Brett and Lori, memories that would help everyone heal and bring closure to their friends. 

One of Lori’s friends went first, a tiny brunette who spoke of late night sleepovers and binge watching shows while eating ice cream on the couch. She told them how Lori had been her best friend, how she’d opened up and told her so many things that Lori had kept secret and how she’d been a true friend and confidant. A few others followed, each telling stories that painted Lori in the best light possible. Theo wished he had more memories of the young girl. He’d spent plenty of time with Brett when he’d been around Josh, but moments with Lori were far and few. Now, he would never have the chance to build new memories with either of them. 

Friends of Brett spoke next. Theo was surprised to learn of the countless hours Brett had dedicated to tutoring his classmates, in classes or on the lacrosse field, and how they all agreed that he’d matured over the past few years. Theo looked over at Liam and squeezed his hand, leaning in and brushing his lips against his ear. “Go up there. Tell them what you remember about Brett.” He whispered. Liam swallowed hard and shook his head, jaw quivering as he turned and looked at Theo. “Go. If you don’t do this now, you’ll regret it. Just speak from the heart.” He encouraged. Liam shuddered lightly and nodded his head, gripping his hand right before slowly getting to his feet. As he made his way to the front of the church, hushed whispers followed him. By the way Liam straightened up, the words were about him. He stepped behind the podium and turned to face the crowd, scanning it until his eyes found Theo. “You’ve got this,” he whispered.

“I know many of you are surprised to see me up here,” Liam began. “To be honest, I’m not sure what I’m even doing up here. Brett bullied me. A lot of you know that.” He flexed his fingers around the podium, taking a deep breath. “I hated him for a long time. I didn’t trust him. He was a teammate and a friend and he betrayed that trust. It took two years for me to be able to finally talk to him about it. I wish we could have solved things sooner. I missed a lot of things in his life. I couldn’t comfort him when he lost his soulmate. I didn’t celebrate with him when he won the state championship. But those things...they didn’t define Brett. He was strong because of who he became. We started talking again at the beginning of this summer. I saw him again at a party and I wanted to punch him in the face.” He laughed weakly, looking slowly around the room. “I was ready to fight him the moment I saw him. He showed up at a graduation party for my high school. He was so surprised that I hated him. Then he told me he was there to help some girl out to avoid her having to deal with her ex. I kept reminding him I was angry and I threw it in his face that I didn’t trust him. That I hadn’t trusted anyone since what he and the lacrosse team did to me after I cost them a game.” Liam’s jaw clenched for a moment and his entire body tensed. 

“Breathe,” Theo murmured. “You have to breathe, Liam. Please.”

“I threw a lot of things in his face that night. I regret all of it.” Liam’s voice broke. “I wanted him to hurt for a moment and remind him of how badly he’d made me feel. But we talked and cleared the air. And finding out Brett had been jealous and insecure because of me? It helped shift my perspective. I was as arrogant as he was at times. It took a lot to grow out of that.” He cast a weak smile in Theo’s direction. “Brett never wanted me to forgive him. He wanted peace between us. The thing is, I’d already forgiven him. The day I walked into that diner to talk to him? I’d already known I was going to forgive him. And we stayed and talked and bonded over my soulmate of all things.” He shook his head slightly, the disbelief clear in his voice. “Theo’s always got a way of bringing people together. Brett and I were no different. Brett wanted to know about Theo  _ because _ he was important to me. I treated Brett like garbage and he still cared about me. Because that’s the kind of person he was. Brett cared about people, he just wasn’t always the best at showing it. But I got to watch him grow and change. It was...it really opened my eyes. Things didn’t just magically become better between us. We went back and forth at times, but it became playful banter instead of words meant to hurt. We started hanging out again and reconnecting through our boyfriends. I wish...if Josh was here, I’m sure he could tell you a million other things about Brett and how special he was. I know he’d give anything to be here right now. I can’t speak for him, I can only speak for myself. But Brett was the type of guy that I could count on to always be honest with me. Even if I didn’t want to hear it, Brett was honest. And he was honest because he cared. I didn’t always like Brett, but I respected the hell out of him. He had a lot on his shoulders and I miss him. And I guess that’s all I have to say.” Liam wiped at his face and backed away from the podium, stepping down from the raised platform. He made his way down the aisle and sank down beside Theo, immediately pulling his soulmate into his arms and hiding his face against his shoulder. Theo’s heart ached as Liam sobbed brokenly against him, letting it all out.

The funeral came to an end and they walked across the street to the graveyard, paying their respects before the crowd began to splinter away. A few of Devenford’s lacrosse players stopped to speak to Liam, congratulating him on getting up to speak and thanking him for his words. Theo slipped away to join Mason and Corey, sliding his hands into his pockets. Corey lightly bumped shoulders with him and Mason offered a watery smile. “Beautiful service, yeah?” Mason cleared his throat. “Proud of Liam for going up there.”

“Me too.” Theo said, exhaling shakily. “You think Brett and Lori are at peace?”

“Fuck, I hope so.” Mason let out a strained laugh. “They’ve been through enough shit. Maybe now they can be with their parents.”

“And Josh is right there with them,” Corey added softly. Theo nodded weakly, tears slipping down his cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Theo. I thought he’d show up for this. We all did.”

“Just solidifies that he’s really gone.” Theo shrugged, grimacing as pain flared through his chest. He sniffed and wiped at his eyes, shaking his head. “We’re going to find who did this to them. That’s a promise. When we find them, we’re going to make sure they pay for what they did to our friends.” 

“Lydia said everyone was afraid of us, the supernatural. What if this becomes an all out war on our kind?” Corey asked softly. Theo cast a glance over his shoulder, finding Liam surrounded by his former teammates. 

“If this comes to war, then we’ll do whatever it takes to win. I’m not losing another friend.” He said firmly. Mason and Corey murmured their agreement and he turned back to them, taking a deep breath. “We have to be there for Liam and the others. We need to protect them. Protect  _ you _ ,” he added with a quick glance at Corey. “No one else is going to die. Not today, not tomorrow, not as long as I’m still alive.”

“You can’t do too much,” Mason reminded softly. “I’m not saying that to be harsh. I’m saying that because Liam can’t afford to lose you before it’s your time to go. I can’t attend another funeral, Theo. This was hard enough and...you’re one of my best friends.”

“The feeling is mutual.” Theo cracked a thin smile at him. “I can’t promise I won’t take risks, Mason. Because if it’s me or Liam...I’m always going to pick him.” Theo whispered. “I’m going to make sure he has a future. If hunters are really back in Beacon Hills and they set their sights on him, I’m going to do everything I can to point them the other direction. And that’s a fact.”

“Liam won’t like you risking your life for his. He’s worried enough about losing you,” Corey said softly. 

“I know he is. But we all know I’m going to die. Today, tomorrow, next week or next month...it’s coming. But dammit if I’m not going down without a fight. I’m not losing another friend, I can’t. Especially not the person I love. I’m going to make sure of it.” Theo said quietly, glancing back at Liam. The werewolf turned and smiled slightly, looking better than he had in days. Theo would do whatever it took to keep that smile on his face. 


	4. Chapter 4

The gentle knock at the door let Theo know Scott had received his voicemail. He got up from the couch and waved his mother off, going and opening the door. Scott’s eyes were filled with sympathy and Theo gave him a strained smile in response. He nodded toward the stairs and stepped into the living room, trusting Scott to make his way upstairs as he spoke to his mother. “I won’t be late for work, I promise.” He assured Connie. “I don’t even have to be there for another half hour.” It wasn’t much to console her, but Theo counted a small victory when her thin pressed lips relaxed and she nodded. “Love you,” he said before going after the true alpha.

Scott was already in his bedroom, standing by the window and looking down the street. Theo didn’t have to ask to know he was watching Liam’s house. Theo had been doing the same for days. “Have you heard from him?” Scott asked. Theo sat down on the edge of his bed and picked up his converse from the floor, nodding. 

“As much as anyone has. He’s talking again. Not much, but it’s a start.” He said. “I know you told him to take some time from school, but I don’t think he intends to go back.” He confessed. 

“Not unless I can talk some sense into him,” Scott agreed. “That’s not the only reason you called me, is it?”

“It’s not.” Theo sighed, turning to look at the alpha. “Liam said you’d bite me at the end. If my days start growing shorter...but you wanted my permission. This is me giving it to you.”

“It’s not that simple.” Scott said, shifting his head and holding his gaze. “The bite is more than a second chance at life, Theo. There’s a price that comes with it. One that could still end with your death.”

“We both know I won’t survive it.” Theo said, straightening up. “I’m doing this to give Liam some peace of mind. Let him believe that he tried everything he could to save me. We all know I’m dying.”

“You know he’d hate to hear you say that.” Scott sighed unhappily. “Are you so ready to give up living?” He asked, regretting the words as Theo’s expression darkened. 

“Fuck you,” Theo hissed. “You know I’m not. You can smell how terrified I am. I don’t want to die, Scott. But I’m not clinging to some false sense of security on a promise that can’t guarantee I’ll live. Hope is stupid and pointless. Why dream of my future when it’s too far out of my grasp? Being prepared for it makes it easier for everyone. Mom doesn’t have to stay in here every night and try to reassure me. Dad has finances put aside just in case they have to cover my funeral at a moment’s notice. Liam can prepare himself for the reality of losing me because I’ve accepted my fate. Hope doesn’t get me anything. It helps everyone else.” He said flatly. 

“Is that why you refuse to believe Josh is alive?” Scott asked softly. Theo sucked in a quiet breath, gritting his teeth. He turned away and Scott sighed heavily. “We don’t know that he’s dead. There’s no proof of it.”

“You’re right. Though the only answer we need is buried six feet under. Brett’s last words were for Josh, Liam said so. They had a bond none of us could explain. You know Deaton theorized on it? He said there wasn’t a rational explanation, but he thought maybe bonds formed by choice and coupled with strong emotions sensed things the rest of us couldn’t. He said soulmates between supernaturals were already stronger. That’s why Liam is so attuned to me. He knows when I’m in pain and when I’m having an off day. His half of the bond is stronger than mine will ever be.” Closing his eyes, Theo took a deep breath. “I didn’t ask you here to have this fight. Josh is dead. Brett and Lori are dead. I will be, too. When I’m dying and can’t open my eyes, give me the bite. Until then, you should go check on your beta. Liam’s been mourning for a week and he needs to face his classmates again. Even if it’s painful at first.” Theo wasn’t stupid. He knew word had spread around campus about Liam and whatever freakish monster he might be. Theo had ignored all questions thrown his way and left all conversations and curious stares before the students could set in on him. His saving grace was the head librarian who had a fierce rule against gossip in the library and Natalie Martin trying her best to hold the truth back. The campus was already starting to divide itself.

“I’ll make sure Liam is at school today,” Scott said softly. Theo wasn’t quite sure he believed him. He knew Scott was going to do whatever it took to keep his promise, but they both knew how stubborn Liam was. Exhaling quietly, Scott crossed the room in front of him. He lingered for a moment in the doorway, placing his hand on the frame of the door. “Theo? I can’t accept your yes.” He turned, holding Theo’s gaze before he could protest. “You need to really consider how it could change your life if you survive it. It means having strength you won’t know how to control. I don’t say this to be unkind, but you already don’t have normal human strength. You’re used to working harder than the rest of us to do simple tasks. If you survive the bite, you’ll damage a lot in the beginning while you learn. Not to mention the threats. We are constantly being watched by hunters and other supernatural creatures look for any signs of a weakness they can exploit. The Nemeton is only going to keep drawing enemies here. You will live a life looking over your shoulder for an entirely different reason than before. You can’t just accept the perks, you have to consider every chance of things going wrong as well. Give me a real answer in a few days.” He said softly. 

Theo pressed his lips in a tight line and nodded, listening as Scott’s footsteps faded down the hall. Grabbing his keys from the nightstand, he slid them into his pocket and headed downstairs. “Later, mom. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way home.” He promised. He pressed a kiss to her cheek in the kitchen and walked out, looking down the street to watch Scott park his bike behind Liam’s car. Feeling a little better, he unlocked his truck and headed to the school.

-

Liam wasn’t sure if he could keep hiding from the outside world. Although Jenna had promised him that he wouldn’t have to go to school any sooner than necessary, he knew he couldn’t keep avoiding his friends. Half of them didn’t understand why he was avoiding school. It hadn’t really been public knowledge that he and Brett were on good terms again. As far as most people knew, Brett was just another lacrosse player that was dating a mutual friend and that was why Liam tolerated him. Mason, Corey, and Theo knew that it went beyond that, but Liam doubted anyone else did. Malia had even thrown his new friendship and toleration of Brett in his face. He wasn’t ready to face that kind of scrutiny again. 

On the other hand, Liam equally wasn’t prepared to face his classmates. Had rumors started to spread about him being a monster? Was anyone going to be able to look him in the eye? Had someone else tried to explain away what the people of the town had seen? Were there even any explanations left that might sway them? He doubted it very much. Mason and Corey had tried to reassure him, but he knew they were lying to protect him. He didn’t want things to be sugar coated. He wanted the truth. He’d asked Theo about it after the first day he’d missed school, but his soulmate hadn’t been able to give him the answers he’d needed. 

It was no surprise that Scott finally came knocking. He groaned as he heard Jenna open the door with a cheerful greeting. Reaching for his pillow, he tugged it over his head and the blanket alongside of it. It would do little to ward off supernatural strength, but at least it could continue to be a barrier between him and the real world for a few more seconds. He listened to Scott’s heavy footsteps on the stairs, his door opening a moment later. “Liam.” Scott said, approaching the bed. He coughed and grunted in response, suppressing a childish whine as the covers were grabbed near his legs. 

“No,” he groaned out and attempted another pathetic cough. “I’m sick. I’m sick.” He called out from under the blankets, tightening his hold. 

“You’re not sick,” Scott sighed in exasperation. Liam scrunched his nose at that, taking a deep breath. 

“Y-Yeah. I’m like deathly ill,” he tried. The lie was painfully obvious. “It’s serious,” he added when he heard Scott shift closer to the bed again. “I think…” he coughed, curling his toes against the comforter. “I think it’s the flu.”

“It’s not flu season.” His alpha pointed out, sounding a touch sympathetic. Liam wished his third grade drama teacher was there to see him. Who was she to say he couldn’t act?

“Then I probably have pneumonia,” Liam grabbed for the first thing that came to mind. Pneumonia was a deathly illness, right? Had people died from it? Or was he thinking of scarlet fever?

“Liam, you’re a werewolf.” Scott replied, an edge of amusement coloring his voice. “You can’t get pneumonia.” He let out a half laugh. “But you know what you can get is in trouble for being late to school.” Liam sighed at that, slackening his hold in his blankets. “So come on, let’s go.” Scott ripped away the comforter and Liam dragged his head from under his pillow. 

Propping up on one elbow, he pointed his finger at Scott. “I don’t think I should go to school. Or outside. Or anywhere. Ever again.” He grabbed the comforter and flopped back, tugging it over his head. He knew that it wouldn’t be enough to keep Scott away. His alpha was far too patient and wanted to look out for him. 

“It doesn’t matter what you think, okay? Because you gotta go.” Scott told him. Liam was pretty sure no one had ever told Scott about online school. “Now all you do is pretend like nothing happened.” The idea about finishing his year online died, a low growl forming in his chest. 

“Pretend?” He threw back the comforter and sat up, staring at his friend in disbelief. “I’m just supposed to pretend?” How was he supposed to do that? Brett and Lori were dead. Josh was missing. There were hunters in Beacon Hills, not to mention whatever supernatural force was driving everyone toward their biggest fears. Even in his home, Liam could see it taking affect. His mom had woken up twice from intense nightmares about rodeo clowns (he didn’t understand why they terrified her, but she’d pointed her fork in warning when he’d asked) and his stepdad had called out of work because he’d been too afraid to perform a surgery he’d done a thousand times. 

Scott’s gaze softened and he took pause as he weighed his options. “Think of it like when Superman gets caught with his glasses off. You know, he doesn’t give up. He puts them back on and says ‘I’m still Clark Kent.’” 

“You want me to wear glasses?” Liam asked. He knew it wasn’t the point, not really, but it was easy to deflect. He could have a few more seconds living in his bubble where terrible things didn’t happen. Scott leveled him with an annoyed look, rolling his eyes as his face scrunched up. 

“No!” He yanked the comforter onto the floor. Liam held fast, grunting as Scott dragged him onto the floor. “I want you to go to school and be Liam Dunbar. Just like Superman has to be Clark Kent, like Spider-Man, and Captain America…”

“Captain America is just Steve Rogers.” Liam pointed out, frowning in disbelief at the older boy. Did he seriously know nothing about Marvel movies and characters? Liam had practically grown up on the comics with Mason, and Theo shared the interest. “He doesn’t have to pretend,” he continued flatly. “Everyone already loves him.” Scott raised an eyebrow and Liam sighed. “Unlike us, who everyone hates.” When Scott continued to look confused, he knew he would have to spell it out. Lips twisting in frustration, he looked at the wall as he wracked his brain for an answer. “They hate us for trying to save their lives,” he said as he lifted his gaze. 

Scott hesitated, pursing his lips as he shifted on his feet. He finally took a step forward and knelt down in front of Liam, exhaling slowly. “You’re right,” he began, catching him by surprise. “We are trying to save lives. Which is why you’re gonna get up and go to school and pretend like nothing happened. Because if you don’t, more people could die.” The words only fed the anger churning in Liam’s gut. How could his alpha ask that of him? Pretending like nothing happened would do no one any favors. There were two freshly dug graves in the local cemetery and numerous threats floating around that they didn’t know or fully understand. There was bound to be more death and senseless violence. It was the way of Beacon Hills. 

“Because of me.” Liam said softly. Scott’s expression dropped, but his brief silence was telling enough. 

“I didn’t really know Brett or Lori,” the older boy said quietly. “Well, not like you did. But I know you.” Scott looked around the room, hesitating for a moment before he jumped to the side. Collecting Liam’s book bag, he returned to the space in front of him and sat the bag down across his lap. Neither one of them acknowledged that Scott hadn’t denied Liam was responsible for the death of his friends. “And if you’re afraid of seeing more of your friends die, you’ll go.”

“School isn’t going to change anything.” Liam whispered after a length pause. “So what if I go to school? How am I supposed to save them?”

“You watch out for them. You go to class like nothing is wrong and you keep guard. You know better than anyone the kinds of threats this town has seen lately. Even before you were a werewolf, you heard news and whispers. Being a werewolf doesn’t change anything except bringing those whispers to reality. You can’t protect your friends from inside of here. Mason needs you. So do Corey and Theo. And Josh, wherever he is, needs our help. Staying here in your bedroom isn’t going to do any of that.” Scott explained. Liam clenched his jaw and looked away, swallowing hard. 

“I should be out there with you. Looking for Josh and the people responsible for what happened to Brett and Lori. But what if something happens at school because people know what I am now?” He whispered. 

“Then you hold your head high and prove that you’re more human than any of them. Clark Kent,” Scott repeated firmly. “Now get up and get a shower. You’re going to go to school and be the Liam Dunbar everyone needs.” The words weren’t exactly a comfort, but he couldn’t fight it anymore. He moved his book bag aside and stood up, untangling himself from his comforter and sheets. When Scott started to put them back on the bed, he shook his head. 

“Don’t. I need to wash them anyways.” He said. Leaning over, he shook the sheets for a moment until he felt a familiar lump and tugged the stuffed wolf free. He carried Sunny around the bed to his nightstand and set him down, stroking his fur lightly for a moment. Theo had given him the furry companion the night of Brett and Lori’s deaths. For the past few nights, Liam had fallen asleep holding the little creature and trying to draw in comfort with his familiar scent. He understood why Theo kept him close at night. “You really think things will be okay?” Liam asked, glancing back over his shoulder at Scott. 

“I do. We will stop whatever is going on and we’ll find Josh in the meantime. Right now, you just need to focus on school. I’ll be in town a while longer and I can keep being alpha.” He smiled warmly and Liam nodded, stepping into his bathroom and shutting the door. 

“Thank you,” he whispered. He waited until Scott padded from the room before turning on the shower, putting the water as hot as he could stand it. Stripping down, he tossed his clothes at the halfway full laundry bin and stepped under the warming spray. It felt nice. Honestly, he couldn’t remember how many days it had been since his last real shower. Ever since the funeral, everything felt like it took too much energy and he was exhausted. Just getting up to change clothes had become taxing and answering the concerned texts of Theo and Mason had become increasingly difficult. He’d seen his soulmate twice since the funeral. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see Theo, it was just hard to see him. When he thought of Theo, Josh wasn’t far behind and it always led back to Brett and Lori. He had a feeling that would take a while to overcome. 

Scott was right. Like it or not, he needed to go to school. If nothing else, he needed the distraction from the cruel turn his thoughts had taken over the last few days. He could lay in bed and keep blaming himself, or he could try and actually do something useful with his life. At least at school he would be able to be with Mason and Corey and see Theo in his spare time. It wasn’t what he wanted to do, but Scott was right. Liam needed to step up and do what he could to protect others. Even if it killed him inside. 

He texted Mason that he would see him at school, giving him a brief highlight of his conversation with Scott, and picked up his book bag when he was ready. “You can do this,” he whispered as he walked downstairs. He greeted his mom and kissed her cheek, grabbing a banana to eat on the drive over to school. Jenna was ecstatic to see him finally out of bed, seeing him all the way to the door and waving as he climbed into his car. The drive itself felt shorter than he remembered, but he was sure his nerves were to blame for that. Before he knew it, he was walking into the school and standing among his peers. Pausing in the middle of the hall, he turned his head slowly and tried to find his friend. 

“Okay. Not bad so far,” Mason said as he joined Liam in the intersection of the hall. “This might be easier than we thought.”

“Maybe.” Liam muttered, slowing down as they approached the lockers. That was when the first whisper reached him.

_ “He’s one of them. What is he doing here?” _ A girl asked her friend. Liam barely concealed his flinch.

_ “What are they thinking, letting him come back to school?” _ A boy asked. Liam gripped the door of his locker with enough force that the frame creaked in warning. He took a shaky breath, forcing himself to breathe in and out as he retrieved his textbooks for his first few classes. 

_ “I sit next to him in English.”  _ It took all of his strength not to turn and pin Travis down with the weight of his stare. How was Liam supposed to pretend he hadn’t heard these things?

_ “Well, then find a new desk.” _ The first boy chuckled. Clenching his jaw, Liam took another deep breath and strained his hearing. It was harder than usual to find Theo’s heartbeat in the school, but it was as reassuring as ever when he finally pinpointed it. Taking another measured breath, he rubbed his fingers across Theo’s name and glanced down the hallway.

“Just block it out.” Mason murmured, laying a hand on his arm.

“They  _ know. _ ” Liam insisted, swallowing against the lump forming in his throat.

“Just rumors,” Mason countered. “They don’t know anything.” Liam could almost take comfort in his words. But a frantic heartbeat approaching them made his entire world tilt as he turned to acknowledge Corey’s arrival.

“They know everything,” Corey confirmed Liam’s worst fear. He tightened his hold on his locker and counted down from ten, fixing his gaze on the cold metal rather than the whispers that surrounded them. “Two sophomores on the lacrosse team were there last night.” Panic seized Liam’s veins. His teammates had seen him wolfed out? 

“Yeah, but it was late. It was pitch black out, and there was fog on the road…” Mason tried.

“It was a clear night with a full moon and a well-lit intersection.” Corey corrected. Liam appreciated that honesty though it made his stomach turn.

“I have to get out of here,” he croaked. He turned away, but Mason’s fingers dug into his arm and held him back. 

“No!” Mason turned him around, fire in his eyes as he held Liam’s gaze. “If you leave, these rumors never stop. You’ve gotta just convince them that you’re a regular kid.”

“I’m not a regular kid!” Liam hissed, barely refraining from raising his voice. Too many interested parties were hovering nearby, hoping to eavesdrop. He’d never been normal like the other kids. His IED had only been the beginning. Shortly after his diagnosis, he’d become a werewolf and everything had changed. “I’m not a regular kid,” he repeated in a low murmur. 

“Look,” Mason sighed. “Remember what Scott said? Be Clark Kent.” 

“Clark Kent turns into a guy with a red and blue outfit and a cape. I turn into a monster with claws and fangs!” He slammed his locker shut, the row rattling and drawing more attention. He inhaled a ragged breath, feeling the familiar haze of panic starting to take hold in his veins.

“Then just get through the day without shifting,” Corey said gently. Liam clenched his fist to keep from lashing out. What the hell did the chimera know about having trouble shifting? He didn’t have claws and fangs to hide. 

“Look, Liam.” Mason sighed and settled his hand on his shoulder, grounding him for a moment. “People are saying that Brett and Lori died in a car accident.  _ We _ know the truth. They didn’t just die, they were murdered.” 

“I was there. I saw it happen. I don’t need the reminder.” Liam growled. Judging by Corey’s wide eyes, his own had changed to yellow. He snapped them shut and grabbed the straps of his bag, letting them dig into his palms hard enough to leave a mark. “I need to get out of here. I’m not running away,” he added before Mason could object. “I need a minute.” If he couldn’t get his head on straight, there was no way he would make it through the rest of the day. 

“Do you need us?” Mason asked, dropping his hand away and glancing over at Corey.

“No. Just..I’ll see you in class.” He offered a tight smile and ducked his head, making his way down the hall. He didn’t need to look to know the right turns to make, he’d done it a hundred times over. Following Theo’s heartbeat was easy. It helped that the students crowding the halls quickly parted at the mere sight of him and pressed back against the walls, their hushed whispers falling against his back like a battering ram. By the time he’d stepped into the library, his breath was coming in short pants and it was getting harder to see the ground. 

“Liam?” Someone faraway said his name and he looked up, piercing green eyes cutting through the haze. He tried to work his mouth open, but a pained whine was the only thing that tumbled out. “Shit. Come on, with me.” The voice said. Fingers curled around his wrist and he latched on, drawing in a breath as Theo’s pulse hammered under his touch. Distantly he heard a door clicking shut, but it was too hard to focus. He bent his knees and sank into a chair, swallowing thickly as Theo crouched in front of him. “In and out. In and out, with me.” Theo pulled his hand over his chest and Liam nodded, putting all of his energy into following the directions and matching Theo’s lungs. It took a couple of minutes, but he breathed a little easier as the time passed. 

“The kids…” Liam tried, his voice shaking as he looked at his soulmate. “They know, Theo. They know what I am. How am I supposed to do this? How am I supposed to pretend I don’t know what they’re saying about me?”

“Because you’re Liam Dunbar, hero of Beacon Hills. They just don’t know it yet.” Theo squeezed his hands tightly between his own. “The things you and the pack have done for this town...you keep them safe every single day. Brett and Lori were an awful loss that no one saw coming. I miss them, too.” He whispered. “But if you go back to your room and hide, no one will be punished for killing them. If you give up, the hunters are going to think they can get away with murder. You have to show them that you aren’t afraid. Even if you have to fake it until it becomes the truth.” He reached up, cupping Liam’s jaw softly. “I can’t begin to imagine how awful this is for you. I’d give anything I could to take this pain away and to make them stop whispering about you. But I can’t, Liam. We can’t turn back the clock. Brett wouldn’t want you hiding from this. He’d push you and make you snap just to prove a point. You’re a  _ werewolf, _ not a monster. So what if you have claws and fangs? You didn’t hurt anybody. You didn’t attack anyone. How can they call you a monster when you’ve used your extra parts of yourself to keep everyone else safe?”

“I just...these people used to be my friends.” Liam sighed heavily. “How could they turn on me like this?”

“You have to remember it’s not just them. It’s whatever is causing people to be afraid. They’re reacting out of instinct, not out of a true desire. Fight or flight has kicked in on overdrive and they don’t understand why. When people are scared, you don’t know how they’re going to react. But these are just whispers and I promise you that they’ll pass.” Theo said. Liam smiled slowly and leaned into his touch, nodding his head. 

“When did you get so good at giving pep talks?” He asked. 

“It’s my superpower,” Theo winked and helped him to his feet. He pulled him in for a soft kiss, leaning their foreheads together. “You are going to go out there and ignore what everyone is saying because it isn’t true. The people that pull away from you are people who don’t know the real you. They aren’t friends, they’re acquaintances. Your actual friends have your back right now.”

“I love you.” Liam whispered against his lips. “Can I come see you at lunch?”

“Only if you promise me you aren’t hiding because the library isn’t as crowded at lunch,” Theo said as he held his gaze. “Little wolf, I’ll shield you from the world as much as I can, but I can’t do it all for you.”

“I know. I won’t hide. I’ll just be boring old Liam Dunbar who wants to spend lunch with his soulmate.” He smiled weakly and Theo snorted, leaning in to steal another quick kiss. 

“There’s nothing boring about you, my love.” He nudged their noses together as the warning bell rang. “Don’t be late to your first class. I’ll see you at lunch.” He stepped back and opened the door, leading Liam out of the librarian’s office. Blushing as the head librarian gave them a sharp look, he muttered a meek apology and rushed to get to his first class. He slipped into a seat in the back corner, trying not to roll his eyes when the other students dragged their desks away from him. The teacher walked in as the bell rang and Liam pulled out his notebook, exhaling slowly as he straightened up. He could do this. He could make it through the day without any problems. 

As the bell rang and signaled class change, a paper football was flicked onto his desk. He looked around for the culprit, but most everyone was turning to watch him at that point. He rolled his eyes and put his stuff away, unfolding the note as he stepped into the hall. It was a messily scrawled note that told him to come to the locker room. His stomach sank as he drifted down the hall, hunching his shoulders to make himself seem smaller. There were over a dozen heartbeats in the locker room when he arrived. He stepped slowly inside and turned the corner, thumbing the straps of his bag. “What’s uh...what’s going on?” He asked, feigning a casual and confused tone as he looked warily at his teammates. The stench of fear and mistrust clouded the room. 

“Team meeting,” Nolan replied with an ugly sneer. Liam nodded his head slowly, shifting his gaze to another lacrosse player. 

“About what?” He asked, already knowing the answer. 

“About how we don’t want someone like you as our captain anymore,” Gabe cut in smoothly. Liam’s heart picked up slightly at the scent of anger and fear that rolled off of him.  _ Danger, _ his inner wolf whined. 

“Someone?” Nolan chuckled lowly. “Some _ thing, _ ” he corrected. Liam swallowed his anger back, taking a deep breath through his nose. He could do this. 

“You want a new captain?” He asked, keeping his voice low and even. 

“We’re voting you out.” Gabe replied. Looking out across the small army gathered against him, Liam clenched his jaw. It was time to stand his ground. 

“What if I’m not ready to go?” He asked through clenched teeth, hands balling at his sides as he took a bold step forward. He didn’t miss the way the others shrank back and looked anxiously at each other. Gabe was the only one to step forward, nothing but hatred in his dark eyes. Liam flicked his gaze to Nolan and the younger boy trembled in response, panic making his heart race before it turned to adrenaline. He rushed forward, barely stopping himself in front of Liam. 

“Do it, Nolan.” Another boy cheered. Liam sized Nolan up, silently daring him to make the first move. He wasn’t going to be the one to back down, not like this. 

“You think you can take me?” Liam asked, his entire body starting to tremble as his IED came alive under his skin. “Hm?” He growled out, shifting his face closer. Nolan’s breath quickened as he leaned in, their noses almost touching. Nolan had a little bit of height to his advantage, but Liam drew himself up and let his anger level the playing field. He wasn’t going to be intimidated by another boy. Around them, the rest of the team started to jeer and urge Nolan to throw the first punch. Liam leaned back slightly, his trembling worsening as his control began to slip. Too late, he could see the golden reflection of his eyes in Nolan’s. He cut his nails into his palms and willed them to change back, but Nolan’s heart was beating in overtime. There was no chance that he’d missed it. 

Just as he thought Nolan was going to throw the first punch, Finstock’s office door creaked open. Liam turned away from Nolan, the hair on the back of his neck standing up as he turned away from his opponent. “What the hell’s going on here?” Coach demanded, a suspicious edge in his voice as he gave the room a perplexed look. Liam glanced back at the team, not surprised that Nolan was ducking his head to hide himself. What a coward. “Who called a meeting without me?” No one answered. “Guys,” Finstock’s voice rose in pitch, “I said who called the meeting?” As everyone shifted in the background, Liam knew he had to step up.  _ Be Clark Kent _ .

“Uh, I did.” He said as he turned and took a step forward. Several startled breaths were sucked in as he spoke. “Sorry, Coach, but my, uh my grades are slipping.” It was a lie that squeezed his insides viciously. They were only a couple of weeks into the semester, there wasn’t time for his grades to have fallen. He hoped Finstock would ignore that. “I need to take a step back from the team,” he continued. He took a deep breath, his heart heavy as he watched his coach. “We just voted Nolan to be the new team captain.” The words burned, but he said them with a straight face and tried not to let his heart shatter. Being team captain meant everything to him. But if Liam needed to step back to earn their trust and give them peace of mind, it was a sacrifice he would have to make. Nolan was the first person he could think of. At least Nolan had had the courage to look him in the eye. 

“Nolan?” Finstock asked. 

“Yeah,” Liam sighed. 

“Yeah,” the older man echoed. “Nolan’s perfect. He’s a great player.” Liam twisted his hands and nodded along with him, trying to squash the disappointment curling low in his gut. “Nolan’s got amazing leadership skills. Which one of you is Nolan?” Liam snapped his head up in disbelief, trying to smother a laugh as Nolan let out an offended noise. He turned, watching Nolan smirk and raise his hand. “Yeah, that guy! How about a big hand for your new team captain, Nolan? Let ‘im hear it!” Around the room, the boys slowly began to clap and cheer. Liam lowered his gaze, clenching his jaw against the threat of tears. He nodded and muttered an excuse, brushing past Coach Finstock as he hightailed it into the hall. He made it halfway to the library before he stopped, ducking into an open doorway. He couldn’t run to Theo, not now. He needed to calm himself back down. 

“The sun,” he whispered as he rolled back his sleeve and traced his fingers over his wrist, “the moon, the truth.” He stared down at Theo’s name, willing himself to relax. The locker room had been a near mistake. He was lucky Nolan hadn’t screamed on the spot or thrown a punch the second his eyes had changed. Another slip like that and everyone would know the rumors were true. Like it or not, he needed to be as human as possible. Even if it meant letting people walk all over him for a couple of days. While it was true he needed to stand his ground, he equally needed to play it safe. Giving up his lacrosse captaincy stung, but it wasn’t the end of the world. 

By the time he’d stepped into the hall, the break was nearly at an end. Students were roaming the halls to get to class, slowing down when they caught sight of him making a beeline down the middle. Mason and Corey came around the corner, his steps slowing automatically as he looked at them. From the grim expression Mason wore, a Storm was brewing. “What?” He demanded, glancing sharply at the pair. 

“I overheard Nolan talking to Gabe,” Corey said softly. 

“You were spying on them?” Mason asked, the disappointment clear in his voice. Liam was damn proud of the chimera for putting his abilities to use. 

“Since he stabbed me? Yeah.” Corey defended. He turned his head to address Liam, “Nolan’s going to try and get you to shift. He needs proof and he wants everyone to see it.”

“So what’s he gonna do?” Liam asked, blowing out a frustrated breath as he glanced at his friend. If he knew the plan, he could buy himself some time and figure out a way around it. 

“I-I don’t know. That’s all I heard.” Corey explained. Liam’s mouth twisted in a grimace and he slowed to a halt, turning to look back down the hall. 

“Could you stop obsessing about what people are saying?” Mason asked. 

“Nolan’s coming,” Liam breathed as his anxiety spiked. He couldn’t tell quite what the new lacrosse captain was saying, but he recognized his voice. Mason’s expression shifted to one of alarm and he fight or flight response kicked in. Liam looked quickly at all of his exit options, heart thrumming as his eyes fell on the guidance counselor's door. Throwing Mason a desperate look, he wrenched open the door and ducked inside. Too late did he realize he wasn’t alone. 

“Mr. Dunbar,” Monroe greeted from behind her desk. 

“Oh,” Liam said as he turned to face her and straightened up. “Sorry. I, uh, thought we had an appointment.” He suggested meekly.

“Not that I’m aware of,” she answered. “You missed our last one by a couple of weeks,” she added. 

“What I meant to say was I wanna make an appointment,” Liam said, rubbing his hand over his fist as he shifted anxiously in front of the door. 

“Great. When?” She smiled, giving him her full attention. 

“Now. If you’re available,” he added quickly. He tossed his bag to the floor and slid into the empty chair across from her desk. 

“I’m kind of in the middle of...something.” She gestured at the stack of folders in front of her. “But I guess it can wait.” She folded her hands in front of her. Liam nodded, watching her for a moment. The silence stretched uncomfortably until Monroe raised her eyebrow and his brain kicked into gear. He needed to initiate the conversation. 

“Oh, so, uh,” he leaned forward and offered her a troubled expression, “I’ve been having a lot of issues. Lots of issues. Big issues.” He drummed his fingers against the table and she nodded in understanding. 

“I know,” she said, taking him by surprise. “I heard a rumor going around.” The words made him go perfectly still. He tensed and leaned back, eyeing her warily.

“What...what kind of rumor?” He asked slowly. 

“A couple of things. Soulmate trouble, your extended absence, and some kids are giving you a hard time?” Monroe asked gently. The concern in her voice seemed genuine and Liam’s heart clenched. Maybe he needed someone to open up to. It wasn’t a new thought, but he’d dismissed it in the wake of everything with Brett and Lori. 

“Kinda,” he admitted weakly. 

“I’d like to help,” Monroe began as she spread her hands across the table. “But you’re going to have to be honest with me, Liam. I need to know who’s harassing you.” She made it sound so easy. Liam knew the moment he gave up those names, he was a dead man walking. Getting an adult involved and hiding behind them wouldn’t solve any of his problems. 

“Why?” He asked, stalling. 

“I think I could give them a little direction,” Monroe suggested. Liam spluttered a laugh, shaking his head slightly. 

“They’re already directed. At me.”

“I won’t condone bullying of any kind.” She promised. Liam was hesitant to believe her. “You don’t have to think of it as turning them in,” she said as he turned his head away. “You’re just helping them be better classmates.” As she spoke, Liam’s gaze fell on two books resting on her filing cabinet. Both addressed supernatural creatures and it made the hair raise on the back of his neck. “I’m going to need their names.” He turned his attention back to her as she grabbed a sticky note and clicked a pen, studying her with care. Her scent. He inhaled slowly, fighting the urge to curl his lip as it registered. It was the familiar one from inside of the tunnels. Monroe was one of the hunters. 

Her fingers dragged over her neck, brushing over a still healing wound that looked like claw marks. “What happened?” He asked, aiming for curious as he leaned forward. 

“Excuse me?” She looked up, tilting her head slightly. 

“The scratches,” Liam nodded his head at her. “How’d you get them?”

“Oh,” Monroe smiled and dropped her head in what appeared to be a bashful look. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. “From a branch in the woods. Why don’t we get back to you?”

“What were you doing in the woods?” Liam asked, an edge of laughter creeping into his voice.

“Running.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Her heartbeat shifted, but she was telling the truth. A version of it, at least. 

“From who?” He asked, letting his smile drop. She flinched subtly, her mouth falling open. 

“Whom.”

“Hm?” Liam shook his head slightly, eyes narrowing. 

“From whom. Not from who,” she explained. “Whom is grammatically correct. We don’t like to use it because it sounds...unnatural.” The slight pause only cemented his belief that she was the hunter. She knew exactly what he was talking about. And now she knew what he was. “But some things that make us uncomfortable are still the right thing to do.” She fixed her smile and Liam’s jaw clenched. Was murdering innocent teenagers the right thing to do in her eyes? He reflected on her words for a moment, on the rumor she had mentioned. She had suggested directing his aggressors in a new manner. Had that been an insinuation that she would turn them even more against him? Was she the reason the rumors had even spread?

“So…” Liam began, lifting his gaze up to meet hers boldly, “whom were you running from?” He clenched his jaw behind a neutral mask, his heartbeat roaring in his eyes as he watched her. She slowly tilted her head down and wet her lips, considering an answer before she looked up again. 

“Liam. Are you going to give me the names or not?” She asked. He kept silent, repeating his mantra firmly in his head. Her expression slowly darkened and she gave him a chilling look. “Then I guess I can’t help you.” She leaned back in her chair, seemingly content with the conversation ending. He nodded and got to his feet, grabbing his bag and heading for the door. He hesitated just as he opened it, flexing his jaw before he looked back at her. 

“Brett was going to be eighteen this October. Lori was turning seventeen in the spring.” He said quietly. Monroe didn’t look impressed. “If  _ anything _ has happened to Josh because of you, I’ll make sure mine is the last face you see.” He warned before walking from the room and letting the door click shut. Despite her cool demeanor inside, Liam could hear the rapid uptick in her pulse. He smiled thinly and grabbed Mason by the arm, dragging him down the hall toward the library. 

“What’s wrong?” Mason asked. Corey scrambled to catch up and Liam shook his head, looking at the pair. He needed to text Scott. He pulled out his phone and jabbed at the screen, fingers trembling as he composed the message. “Liam?” Mason tugged on his sleeve. Liam glanced back, clenching his jaw. Corey muttered that he would catch up with them, disappearing quickly and heading toward the lockers. 

“Monroe is one of the hunters. She’s the one working with Gerard,” Liam hissed as they entered their biology classroom. 

“So our guidance counselor is a werewolf hunter?” Mason hissed. Liam nodded and yanked the door shut. “I’m never asking for guidance again,” he said with wide eyes. Liam bit back a bitter laugh as the warning bell rang and slid into his usual seat. His partner, Riley, tensed and looked at him like a deer caught in headlights. As he got settled, she grabbed her belongings and scampered to a different table at the front of the room. Another person needlessly afraid of him. He turned to look at Mason, raising an eyebrow. “Maybe she forgot something?” He suggested, doubtful of his own words. Corey sat down beside of him, sharing their confused look. 

“Is there a problem, Liam?” Mrs. Finch asked. Liam turned around to face her, shaking his head. 

“No. Not with me.” He explained. 

“Who will let Liam join their group?” She demanded. As expected, Mason and Corey were the only ones to raise their hands. “Someone other than you two,” she amended. Their hands lowered and Liam’s stomach clenched. Around the room, partners were sharing secret looks and avidly shaking their heads. He sighed, nodding to himself. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he closed his eyes for a moment, focusing to hear Theo’s steady heartbeat. “Hm. You all have one minute for someone to volunteer or the whole class fails today’s lab.” 

Hushed whispers immediately filled the room and Liam’s blood ran cold at some of their words. He hid a flinch and turned around, looking at Mason. “This is just making it worse,” he hissed under his breath. 

“Yeah, well, it’s about to get worse-worse.” Corey told him. 

“Why do you only show up when there’s bad news?” Liam snapped, his pulse quickening. The look on Corey’s face didn’t bode well for him. It was concern, pity, and open fear. 

“The entire lacrosse team is looking for you,” Corey continued. “They’re blocking the exits.”

“Why?” Mason jumped in.

“So I can’t get to Theo,” Liam breathed out. He turned around, a chill crawling up his spine as Corey spoke again.

“They’re going to try and make Liam shift in front of everyone.” He shook his head in disbelief, jiggling his leg under the table. He had to get out of there.

“That definitely can’t happen,” Mason hissed in alarm. 

“Well, What are we gonna do?” Liam whispered as he turned back to the pair.

“They won’t act until the end of the day. They want a huge crowd,” Corey explained. 

“All right, Liam.” Mrs. Finch said. “Looks like you’re not winning any popularity contests, so why don’t you work alone?” She suggested. He nodded, trying to squash the flare of anger he felt at her words. “I’ll decide whether or not I was bluffing about failing everyone.” She finished sharply, dragging her icy glare in a slow measure around the room. As she went over the instructions for the lab, he slid his phone out of his pocket and tapped out a message in his group chat with Theo, Corey, and Mason.  _ Emergency meeting in the library during lunch. Need to establish a plan.  _

After hitting send, he pocketed his phone before the teacher could take it and reached for his lab materials. Biology was a bitch and a half on a good day, but on his own on a bad day? It was borderline impossible. The minutes ticked by at a snail's pace, his impatient gaze flicking to the clock more than once. Mrs. Finch called him on it and he’d muttered an apology, ducking his head and trying his best to concentrate. It wasn’t an easy task. Theo’s heartbeat was his only source of comfort that kept him from spiraling too far in the dark. He rubbed his thumb across the name of his soulmate, exhaling shakily as he tried to focus again. The last few minutes were going to be hell. 

Mrs. Finch dismissed them after failing everyone but Liam, Mason, and Corey for the lab. It hadn’t earned him any favors or sympathetic looks. That fear had turned to anger and Liam tried to ignore their scathing remarks as he grabbed his bag, hurrying from the room. With Mason and Corey hot on his heels, they made it to the library in record time. Theo motioned them quickly into the librarian’s office before anyone could take notice, securing the door and pulling the shade down. “Scott texted me. He said Monroe was the hunter. Is that true?” He asked quietly. 

“She has scratches on her neck from a werewolf. I’m willing to bet it was Brett that gave them to her,” Liam said. He quickly relayed his conversation with the guidance counselor to his friends, taking note of their shocked and disgusted reactions. “So Monroe is the one working with Gerard. She’s the one that murdered our friends.”

“Christ,” Mason croaked out. “I told you to talk to her and open up…”

“And I did.” Theo said, sounding sick. “I talked to her. She thinks….Jesus, I….” he was at a loss for words, visibly shaken. 

“You’ve talked to her? About what?” Liam asked, a knot forming in his stomach. 

“About you. About us. I thought she was a friend and it was all confidential.” Theo leaned back from the table, his face ashen and his heart thundering in his chest. 

“You didn’t know. I’m not mad at you,” Liam reached for his hand and gripped it tightly. “We need to figure out what to do now. Monroe knows what I am and she’s going to suspect you do, too. Which means she’ll try and use you against me. Nolan and Gabe have the lacrosse team waiting to try and make me shift in front of the school.”

“So we break up.” Theo said calmly. 

“ _ What?! _ ” Mason exploded, fury transforming his face into an ugly snarl. “Are you out of your  _ fucking _ mind?”

“Mason!” Liam snapped. He swallowed hard and looked at Theo, nodding for him to continue talking. His heart was racing, threatening to beat right out of his chest. 

“We stage it so Monroe sees it happen. I break up with you because of the rumors and get close to her. I can be an asset to you and the pack from the inside with her and the kids here. Think about it.” Theo held Liam’s gaze, his vision turning glassy. “It’s a good plan. I break up with you at the end of lunch, throwing you out of the library and following you while you try and run. We have a shouting match in front of her office and make sure she hears every word. She’ll come back to me to see if I’m okay, I know she will. I tell her I’m done with monsters and I’m disgusted I was ever with you and didn’t know. I’m betrayed, I’m hurt, and I’m hungry for blood. It’s the perfect in.”

“If she catches you, she won’t let you get away with it.” Liam whispered. 

“Then we make sure it’s realistic. I’ll be a spy in her network and won’t be able to see you. But if you can get a burner phone from Argent, I can keep in contact with you and the pack. She’ll be watching me too closely.” Theo said, pursing his lips. “I can do this, Liam. Let me protect you, just this once.”

“So we fake it.” Liam twisted his lips in an unhappy grimace. “I don’t want you put in danger like that.”

“For all we know, she will come for me next  _ because _ of my connection with you. We have to keep our enemies closer and make sure more people don’t die or get caught in the crossfire. You’ll still have Mason and Corey on your side and the other supernatural students at this school. I’m going to be here as your soulmate and anchor no matter what. You can track my heartbeat anywhere in this building, let that give you peace of mind that I’m okay. I’ll spend my days becoming her ally and my nights relaying everything I can to you. Liam, please. Let me do this for you. Let me do this for the pack.” Theo pleaded. 

“This is insane. Last time you guys broke up, it nearly destroyed Liam. The memories this will bring up-” Mason tried.

“Theo and I are working past that.” Liam cut him off gently, looking at his best friend. 

“Liam will know everything I’m saying is a lie. Even if it sounds like a harsh truth, he can hear my heartbeat. He knows how I feel about him and this fight won’t change that. We both agree to throw hurtful words and know that they aren’t true. It’s the only way to make this work.” Adding in details made some of the tension in Liam’s shoulders lessen. He shot Theo a grateful smile, nodding his head.

“And what about Gabe and Nolan?” Corey asked.

“Surprised you didn’t think of a solution already. You can turn yourself and others invisible. After the fight and after classes, you can turn Liam invisible and let Mason guide you to an exit.” Theo told them. “It’s a risky plan, but we’re going to have to take necessary risks now.”

“Monroe might find out about your friendship with Josh and question you on it. If she’s responsible for his disappearance, you might find out what really happened to him. She could tell you he’s dead.” Mason said quietly.

“Then it’s a good thing I’ve already accepted that as reality. I know this plan sucks right now and it’s rushed, but we’re running out of time. We’ve got to make our move today. The longer we wait, the more Monroe will be suspicious of me at the start. She knows Liam has been out for a few days and she knows I haven’t seen him, she’s asked. This is the perfect opportunity and we can’t pass it up.” The words sounded like the final nail in the coffin. Mason and Corey exchanged a long, heavy look before they nodded in unison and stood up.

“We’ll give you guys a few minutes. We’ll sneak out and everyone will think the two of you started your fight in here.” Mason suggested softly. Theo nodded and got up, walking around the table and pulling him into a tight hug.

“Be careful. I’m sorry for all of this, I really am. Take care of Liam for me.” He whispered. Mason nodded and squeezed him tightly, stepping back and letting Corey take his place. A moment later the two were invisible, cracking the door open far enough to slip out and shutting it behind them.

Liam’s mouth was on his in an instant. Tears blurred Theo’s vision as he white knuckled gripped the back of his shirt, tugging Liam until they were flush together. Liam’s tears mixed with his own as they consumed one another in desperation, lips and teeth and tongues clashing for dominance as they clung together. When the warning bell for lunch rang, Theo pulled back and shakily exhaled while leaning his forehead against Liam’s. “I love you, little wolf. I love you so much. Nothing I say out there is going to be true, you understand me? Nothing makes me think any less of you. You are my soulmate and I am going to spend the rest of my life with you when this is all over. We’ll beat Monroe at her own game and I’ll be with you again. I promise, I will keep you safe.”

“Worry about keeping yourself safe,” Liam whispered against his lips. “I love you. We said we wouldn’t separate again, but I think you’re right. This...this is going to suck. But it’s a good plan. I’m so fucking proud of you. And whatever happens, I am going to love you. I know she won’t corrupt you, she can’t. You’re too pure for this and you’re so goddamn strong. I love you.” 

“Be careful, my little wolf.” Theo claimed his lips in another scorching kiss, heartbeat thundering in his ears. He pulled back and cleared his throat, stepping back with a shudder. “You ready for this?”

“No.” Liam let out a wet laugh, wiping at his eyes. “You look like I’ve been making out with you.”

“Good. Makes it more realistic, doesn’t it? Your eyes changed in the middle of the moment and I’m disgusted that the rumors are true. I don’t know you, Liam Dunbar.” Theo’s voice rose, trembling slightly as he took a deep breath. “Get the fuck out of here!”

“Fuck you!” Liam snarled back, grabbing the door handle and yanking it open. Curious heads turned toward them as he stormed across the library, Theo hot on his heels. “How does this change anything? I  _ love _ you.” 

“You’re one of them,” Theo hissed. “Get out of my library. I can’t believe you’d even show your face after last week. I didn’t want to believe the rumors. How could I trust you?”

“You trusted me just fine when you were making out with me less than five minutes ago,” Liam threw back at him. “Mason, Corey, lets go. Theo needs some time to cool off.”

“I don’t  _ need _ anything except to never see your face again.” Theo snapped. “You’re too different, Liam. Your differences don’t make you special, they make you a monster.”

“Don’t act like you’re all high and mighty. You’re not perfect either,” Liam whirled around. Theo got in his face, gritting his teeth as he glared at his soulmate. At least Liam was angry. If Liam was crying, he wasn’t sure he would have been able to keep going at him. “We can overcome this,” Liam continued. Theo’s expression twisted into a sneer. 

“We  _ can’t  _ overcome this. There’s no cure for what’s wrong with you, freak.” He spat. By now a small crowd had gathered around them and Theo took a step forward, grateful when Liam spun on his heel and stormed a few more yards. Good. They were right in front of Monroe’s office now. “How did I get saddled with you as a soulmate? Monsters like you shouldn’t have something like that.”

“Yeah? Well, I’m amazed too. How did I get so unlucky to be saddled with someone who's dying?” Liam scoffed, folding his arms over his chest. “You’re nothing special, Theo.”

“Likewise, Dunbar. I’m glad to be rid of you now. Better than having to be miserable the rest of my days with you.”

“I’m glad I won’t have to listen to you whine about dying anymore.” Liam’s lips twisted in an ugly sneer and Theo, for a brief moment, wanted to smack the look from his face. He waited until the door clicked open before his palm shot out, the resounding crack of his palm against Liam’s cheek echoing down the hall. Silence fell between them. 

“What’s going on here?” Monroe asked as she stepped forward. Theo shifted back a couple of steps, silently begging Liam to stay strong. His soulmate worked his jaw for a moment, narrowing his gaze as he glared at Monroe. 

“Thanks to people like you, I’ve lost everything.” He spat at her before storming away. The bell rang for students to go to class and Monroe frowned, looking around the small crowd. 

“Go to class!” She barked. The students scattered quickly, their hushed whispers filling the halls. “Theo, my office.” She said. He nodded and slipped in, dropping immediately into the open chair. Her door clicked shut and she walked slowly around her desk, studying him. “What happened out there?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t heard the rumors,” Theo snorted. “They’re true. He’s a...a  _ monster _ or something. I’ve wasted a year being his friend and I can’t believe it. I’ve kissed him. I’ve...fuck.” He ground his teeth, leaning forward and putting his face in his hands. 

“Theo…” Monroe’s words died in her throat as her phone rang. She pursed her lips and answered, her face paling a little before she hung up. “Do you mind waiting in here? I’ve got to speak with Ms. Martin.”

“Sure.” Theo slouched back in the chair, turning his gaze up to the ceiling. “Could you...could you not tell her that I slapped a student?”

“Theo. I didn’t see a thing.” She smiled before walking out of her office, leaving him in silence. He exhaled shakily and closed his eyes, rubbing his fingers over Liam’s name permanently etched into his skin. They could do this. Just a little separation and everything would work itself out. They were strong enough to survive this. They had to be. 

-

“Are you okay, dude?” Mason asked Liam as they entered their next class. The beta nodded and rubbed at his jaw, sliding into his usual seat behind Mason. 

“Yeah.” He had no idea Theo could hit that hard. Honestly, he was a little impressed. At least Theo wasn’t completely defenseless. 

“Corey is going to meet us at the end of the day and we’ll sneak you out. You okay with that?” Mason turned in his desk to face him and Liam nodded, pulling out his notebook for class. He hunched down in his seat, doing his best to look completely miserable and hurt. Just down the hall, he could hear Theo’s steady heartbeat. He could do this. Theo was risking a lot to give him this opportunity and he’d make the most of it. With his boyfriend on the inside, he was optimistic in thinking they’d be able to stop Monroe before others had to die. It wouldn’t be immediate, but he hoped Theo would easily win her trust. 

When the final bell rang, Liam grabbed his bag and joined Mason and Corey at the back of the classroom. “You ready?” The chameleon chimera asked, biting his lip as he looked at Liam. 

“As ready as I can be,” Liam sighed. 

“Grab onto my shoulders. We are going to walk in sync behind Mason and try not to get caught. You have to be careful,” Corey warned. “One wrong step and we both go down for this.”

“I got it.” Rolling his eyes, Liam placed his hands on his shoulders and blinked. The world around them was tinted green for a moment, slowly fading until it was barely noticeable. “How’d you do that?” He asked. 

“Practice.” Corey turned his head, beaming at him. 

“This won’t work if you two keep talking.” Mason huffed. Corey and Liam shared a look before nodding and falling into position. Corey nudged Mason forward a step. He led them from the classroom, awkwardly shuffling down the hall. Two members of the lacrosse team were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, blocking one of their escapes. 

“Could you hurry it up, please?” Corey whispered as Mason stumbled to a halt. 

“Yeah, okay.” Mason muttered from the corner of his mouth. He waddled along and reached out, awkwardly waving his arms around to ward people off. 

“Mason,” Liam hissed in warning. Mason turned them around again, heading for a new exit. At every turn he took, the lacrosse team was waiting. “This is crazy,” Liam hissed when they were surrounded on three sides. 

“We can take them,” Corey promised. At the sight of Gabe closing in, Mason tensed. 

“All right, okay, turn around, turn around, turn around.” He directed, slowly moving in a half circle and looping back the way they had come. Nolan came around the corner and stepped in his way, hands buried in his pockets. “Oh. Hey, Nolan.” Mason said nervously. Too late, they realized a handful of chalk powder was in his pocket. He tossed a handful behind Mason, directly hitting Liam and Corey to bring them to light. As Corey turned to apologize to Liam, Gabe grabbed him by the shoulders and tossed him down to the floor. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Gabe sneered as Liam struggled to get to his feet. As soon as he was up, Gabe was tossing him across the classroom floor and crashing into a pile of desks. Liam took a moment, chest heaving as his breath came in ragged pants. He knew the urge to shift was right under the surface.  _ Control.  _ He needed to be more in control. If he wolfed out on them, there would be no turning back. He balled his fists up and closed his eyes, knowing they would give him away. 

“Get up. Get up!” Nolan screamed from behind him, an edge of hysteria in his voice. Liam bit back a growl and pushed himself up slowly. Gabe’s foot came down on his ass, shoving him forward against the ground again. He grit his teeth, fangs stretching in his mouth as he panted. 

“What are you trying to hide, Liam?” Gabe demanded. “Your eyes?” He grabbed him by the shoulders and hauled him back up, slamming him back against the board. Students around them gasped and Gabe’s hold adjusted to the front of his shirt. “Open your eyes.” He hissed. Liam inhaled shakily, focusing his senses to find the steady heartbeat that belonged to his soulmate. He slowly opened his eyes, pleaded to take in Gabe’s confusion as he backed away. Nolan was immediately in his place, reeling his fist back before landing a solid punch to his face. Liam felt the first warm trickle of blood in his mouth and he suppressed his healing, sending up a silent plea that he could control himself. Distantly, he could hear Theo’s heartbeat picking up speed and Mason’s anxious murmur for him to stay out of it. He hid a smile as he tilted his head back against the board, wiping at his nose to clear the blood away. 

Within seconds, Mason’s shoes scuffled against the floor. “Hey! Hey, let him go!” He demanded as he threw himself against the wall of students blocking him, all eager to watch the fight unfold. Two of the lacrosse players pressed up against the door, gripping Mason by the front of his shirt and holding him back. Liam met his gaze and shook his head weakly, letting out a pained breath. 

“Are you just going to let us do this to you?” Nolan asked, sneering at him whole Gabe threw the second punch. It sent Liam to his knees and he spat blood onto the floor, grimacing in pain. As he started to straighten up, Nolan scoffed and grabbed him by the face and forced him back against the board. “You know you can take us,” he seethed, leaning in so their foreheads were touching. “All you have to do is change.” Liam screwed his eyes shut tighter, pained grunts escaping as Nolan’s fingers dug into the skin behind his ears. Theo’s heartbeat was like a drum in his ears, anxious but constant. 

“The sun…” Liam whispered, drawing on his old mantra. He was doing this for his anchor. For Brett. For Lori. For Josh. For everyone he’d lost and those he was in danger of losing. He wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing him break. 

“What?” Nolan asked, his hold going slack. 

“The sun,” Liam repeated, “the moon, the truth.” He opened pale blue eyes, trembling as he met Nolan’s furious gaze. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He asked, shaking Liam’s head. 

“Who cares?” Gabe pushed Nolan out of the way, slamming another punch against Liam’s cheek. The connection snapped his head to the side, his ears ringing. A third and then a fourth followed, the momentum sending him falling to his knees. Gabe’s own kneecap buried itself against his stomach and he felt the sickening crack of his rib cage. Mason’s heartbeat spiked in the background and Liam let out a pained gasp, doubled over on the floor. 

“You’re fighting it,” Nolan said as Liam let out a frustrated growl between clenched teeth. “But you can hold back forever.” He knew that statement was true. It was why he had to keep closing his eyes. 

“Do something,” Mason pleaded. Liam shuddered and lifted his head to find Mrs. Finch had worked her way to the front of the students gathered in the classroom. He hissed, blood and spit dribbling from his mouth. 

“Sometimes it’s...it’s best to let them work things out on their own.” She said faintly, wringing her hands together. Liam’s contempt for her only grew. A fist gripped the back of his hair and Gabe dragged his head back, sending his knee crashing into his throat. Liam barely caught a glimpse of Mason’s horrified expression before he fell onto his back, blood bubbling up from his throat. He’d barely landed on his back before Gabe was on him again, throwing kicks and punches at his battered body. The other boy gripped the front of his shirt and raised him up, drawing his fist back for another punch. Liam’s vision began to blur and he wheezed, his eyes falling shut. 

“What the hell is going on?” Coach Finstock’s fury rang through the room, a cold silence falling over everyone. Liam forced himself to look past Gabe, watching as Corey trailed after the older man. Theo’s heartbeat slowly disappeared down the hallway and he exhaled weakly. Of course Theo had assisted Corey in getting help. “Back off!” Coach snarled, grabbing Gabe by the shoulder and prying him off. He snatched Nolan by the shirt as well, shoving them both toward the door. “Hey! Get to the principal’s office!” He roared. “Now!” He shoved them at the door where the lacrosse team quickly parted ways. He took a glance at Liam lying on the ground and turned in a half circle to stare at the room in disbelief. “What the hell is this?” He looked at Mason, whose mouth went slack as he took a hesitant step toward his fallen best friend. “Get out! All of you!” Coach screamed. “I can’t stand to look at your faces!”

“Liam…” Mason hurried forward as Finstock turned, hesitating when the older man knelt to check on Liam. 

“You’re lucky your soulmate found me first,” Coach growled softly. Trembling violently, Liam hacked up a mouthful of blood and shook his head. 

“N-Not-“

“Coach. No one can know about that. Please.” Mason pleaded softly. 

“It’s none of their goddamn business who came and found me,” Finstock snapped heatedly. “Get him off the floor.” Corey and Mason sprang into action, carefully hauling Liam upright at the older man’s urging. 

“I can’t believe you did that,” Mason whispered as he steadied his hands on Liam’s arms to support him. 

“Clark Kent, right?” Liam huffed out a weak breath, trying to smile. He concentrated his healing on his internal damage, knees threatening to buckle. 

“Yeah,” Mason offered him a watery smile. “Clark Kent.” He caught Liam just as he pitched forward, tangling his fingers tight in Liam’s hair. “You’re such a fucking idiot. They could have killed you,” he whispered.

“Nah. Theo’s my only kryptonite.” Liam muttered. 

“You’re insanely stupid.” Mason reiterated, wrapping an arm around his upper back and tugging Liam’s around his neck. “Can you make it to my car?”

“Maybe,” Liam slung one arm around Mason’s neck and pressed the other to his rib cage. He took a couple of tentative steps with his best friend, hissing as pain flared through his body. “I’ve been through worse.” 

“That’s not a comforting thought,” Mason said as they slowly walked from the room. 

“What about my car?” Liam asked. 

“I can drive it.” Corey offered softly. Liam nodded and dug his keys from his pocket, tossing them weakly to the chimera. 

“Corey?” He asked. “Tell him I’m fine. I’ll get the burner phone and we’ll figure it out.”

“I will.” Corey promised, disappearing from view. Liam dropped his head down against Mason’s shoulder, concentrating on taking it one step at a time. By the time they’d reached the parking lot, his face had stopped bleeding and he didn’t feel like he was going to be sick with each step he took. 

“I know what you were doing,” Mason said as they approached his car. 

“Trying not to shift?” Liam asked, lifting his head up. 

“No,” Mason sighed. “You took that beating because you think you deserve it because of what happened to Brett and Lori.” He stopped them beside his car, letting Liam lean back against the good to catch his breath. “Not just them. Maybe even because of Josh, too.”

“Maybe I do,” Liam confessed. He spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground, averting his gaze from Mason’s. 

“You took a beating, but you didn’t deserve it.” The gentleness in Mason’s tone rattled him and he looked up, hating the sympathetic look he was receiving. 

“I know I didn’t kill them,” Liam said, flexing his jaw in annoyance. “A hunter did. And she has a name.”

“Yeah, and she’s also got new recruits, too.” Mason cautioned. “See, Nolan’s not the only one you gotta worry about now.”

“You mean Gabe?” Liam asked. 

“No, I mean, like, everyone.” Mason said. “Nolan didn’t just want you to shift in front of everyone to show them that you’re a werewolf. He wanted to show everyone that you’re the enemy.”

“That we should be hunted,” Liam said, understanding beginning to dawn. This was more than just a couple of hunters coming after them. This was about building an army to come after them. “Are you saying those two are working with Monroe?”

“I’m saying it’s a high possibility.” Mason replied. “Nolan did some counseling with her over the summer. Who knows how long they’ve been planning this? Maybe they knew Scott was the true alpha and leaving town and they figured everyone else would be easy prey with him gone.”

“We’ll protect everyone.” Liam said, drawing in a rattling breath. “Fuck.” He groaned, splaying his fingers out across his side. “I hate bones trying to heal.”

“I’ll get you home. You want to lay down in the back?” Mason asked. He nodded and shuffled toward the backseat, hissing as he pulled the door open. Shoving everything to the floor, he sprawled out across the back of the seats and bent his legs so Mason could shut the door. “Is Jenna home? Should we wait before I take you home?” Mason asked, climbing into the driver’s seat.

“I should finish healing by then. Hey, do you want to grab a burger?” Liam asked, yanking his blue sweater over his hand and using it to mop his face clean. He snagged a water bottle from the pack Mason kept in his car, pouring some into the palm of his hand.

“How can you want to eat after being beaten to a bloody pulp?” Mason asked. “Liam, your face looks like it was greeted by a meat tenderizer.”

“Thanks,” he replied dryly. He splashed the water against his face, digging his fingers into the tender flesh of his cheeks as he scrubbed away the blood that had dried. “Eating will help me finish healing. We can hit up a drive-thru.”

“Fine.” Mason blew out a long breath and slid his hands over his steering wheel. 

“What, Mase?” Liam sighed. 

“I’m just worried about you. I know how important Theo is to you. You spent over a week without him and it nearly broke you. You have no idea how long it will be before you can be with him in the open again. And things are going to get hard for him. You’ve got us. He’s not going to have anyone but people he can’t trust. Are you sure he’s ready for that? Are you?” Mason asked. Liam closed his eyes as he scrubbed at his face with his sweater, shaking his head. 

“No. I’m terrified, Mase. But it’s a good plan. Theo and I will make it work. This is bigger than just the two of us. So much bigger. If it protects other people and gives us ammunition against Monroe and the army she’s raising...how can we not try?” He asked softly. Silence answered. Sighing, he finished cleaning his face and pulled out his phone. He made it to Theo’s name before stopping, realizing he couldn’t just send a text to check up on him. Maybe this wouldn’t be easy, but it was a necessary evil. Theo was strong. And if he couldn’t be, then Liam would be his strength. Even separate, they’d make this work together. 

-

Theo pulled the door to the library shut, digging his keys from his pocket. The lock clicked shut a moment later and he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he made his way to the parking lot. It had been an exhausting day. He hadn’t meant to work a double shift, he wasn’t supposed to be doing that in the first place without long breaks and a chance to go home and take his medicine, but the head librarian had been forced to leave early for some kind of family emergency. Theo had taken over with ease, assuring Natalie Martin that he could handle the job on his own. That had been right before the chaos of the fight after school. The thought of it made Theo’s stomach roll. If he hadn’t found Coach Finstock in time...would Liam even still be breathing? Rationally, he knew that Liam would have probably just been knocked out, but hearing his gurgling breath was something that would haunt him for a while. 

Finstock had been a risky mistake. After his blowout fight with Liam earlier, this could have been the thing that cemented Monroe’s trust in him. But he’d gambled it just to be sure that Liam didn’t get irreparable damage from two low life thugs. He was just lucky that Corey had arrived right after and taken Finstock immediately to the scene of the fight. Theo was cautiously optimistic that no one had seen him enter the locker room to get him. Most of the student body had been checking out the fight. Another thing that made him sick. How had they been able to stand there and just watch? Hearing Gabe’s fists land on Liam’s face had been difficult to bear. He couldn’t imagine holding himself back if he’d actually seen it happen. Honestly, he wouldn’t have known it was even happening if Mason hadn’t come running, dragging him out of earshot and begging him to find a way to make it stop. 

He clicked the unlock button for his truck as he stepped out of the building, making his way to the first row of cars in the teacher lot. As he lifted his gaze, he nearly missed a step off the sidewalk. Nolan and Gabe were waiting for him, blocking the driver’s side. Monroe was standing in front of the hood, a smile on her face. “Theo.”

“Tamora.” He slid his truck keys into his pocket, mustering up his courage to give her a smile. “I thought you had to leave?” He asked.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come back to my office to finish our discussion. I had an unexpected meeting come up with Scott McCall.” She threw the name out there, baiting him. 

“You mean the senior I graduated with?” Theo asked, frowning. “I thought he went off to college.”

“He was supposed to leave a couple of weeks ago. Apparently he and some of his friends have decided to stay. I’m surprised you don’t know anything about that. Rumor has it you were thick as thieves last year.” Monroe replied coolly. 

“I mean, we had a couple of classes together and we were friends, sure. I grew up knowing him and Stiles Stilinski. Played little league together,” Theo explained. 

“So they just accepted you into their pack without a problem?” Monroe hummed. 

“Pack?” Theo’s frown deepened. “You mean…” he let his eyes widen slowly, pretending the realization was just dawning on him. “They were monsters, too? Like...like my ex?” He struggled to say the word and something akin to sympathy flickered in Monroe’s expression. 

“What a dreadful breakup. He deserved more than the slap you gave him.” She said, taking a step closer. “You must be feeling betrayed right now.”

“I’m feeling a lot of things,” Theo sighed. “The rumors about him were true.” He flicked his gaze to Nolan and Gabe, suppressing his rage. “That’s why you started the fight, isn’t it? To prove what he was?”

“Maybe.” Gabe shrugged one shoulder. “What did you see?”

“Glowing yellow eyes.” Theo snorted softly. “We were making out and his eyes changed. He actually begged me to keep quiet and not say anything.” He clenched his fist, letting the disgust saturate his tone. “So I kicked him to the curb. I can’t believe this.”

“How do we know he isn’t one of them?” Nolan asked, pushing off his truck and taking a step closer. “This could all be a trick.”

“I doubt his heart condition is fake. I’ve seen the medical files.” Monroe said, waving him off. Nolan ignored her, stepping closer until he was in Theo’s face. Up close, he could see the fear and paranoia in Nolan’s eyes. It made him look wild and dangerous. 

“Still. These things have been hiding in plain sight for a while. We have to be sure.” He said slowly, tilting his head to the side as he considered Theo. 

“You want some kind of a test?” Theo asked, aiming the question at Monroe though he didn’t move from looking at Nolan.

“And what do you propose, Mr. Holloway?” Monroe asked. 

“If he isn’t human, then he’ll heal.” That was the only warning he got before Nolan grabbed him by the arm, yanking his hand free of his pocket. In his other hand he clutched someone sharp and metallic, undoubtedly stolen from one of the science classrooms. He plunged it into Theo’s hand, holding his wrist fast when he yelled and tried to pull back.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Theo demanded as he wrenched his hand back, staring in disbelief at the blood bubbling up from the back of his hand. He cradled it carefully, snapping his gaze up as Gabe approached. Despite his more threatening demeanor, Gabe took him carefully by the hand and wiped the blood away. When it continued to flow from his wound, Gabe turned his head and nodded at Monroe. 

“He’s one of us,” he confirmed before taking a step back.

“You didn’t have to try and fucking cripple me to prove a point,” Theo snapped at Nolan. “Literally just a cut would have been evidence enough. Asshole.”

“Had to be sure,” Nolan said as he wiped the scalpel clean on his jeans before shoving it back into his pocket. “Werewolves are real, Theo. And for all you know, they’re everywhere. This is the best way to prove you aren’t one of them. They heal fast.”

“Did Liam?” Theo asked. Three sets of eyes focused on him immediately and he sighed. “You beat the hell out of him, didn’t you? Did he heal from it?”

“No.” Nolan admitted, jaw twitching in aggravation. “He held himself back. Don’t know how he did it.”

“It was that stupid chant. The sun and whatever,” Gabe snorted bitterly. Theo felt a spike of pride for Liam using his mantra and holding his ground.

“Stabbing isn’t going to work for all of them, you know.” Theo said. “I heard about Corey. The whispers, at least. People were talking this afternoon about how he healed and Liam didn’t. How is your plan going to work?” He asked curiously, looking down at his steadily bleeding hand. Fuck. He needed to get home and get it cleaned up. 

“We’ll cut in deep and hope that triggers the healing process.” Nolan said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“And you’ll do it in public? To every student? That’s a sure way to get yourself suspended.” Theo pointed out. 

“No. We'll do it somewhere we can monitor it.” Monroe spoke up, taking a step closer to him. “The librarian won’t be coming back, Theo. You’ll be in charge.” She said, settling her hand on his shoulder. 

“He was one of them, too?” Theo asked, eyes widening in real surprise. How had he never known? Had Liam known? 

“He was. He and his pack are mostly dead now. We found them after two betas went on a killing spree and took out some innocent human lives. They’re being tortured for information.” Monroe explained. “Theo, I saw how devastated you were after what happened with Liam. You don’t want that to happen to anyone else, do you?” Her fingers tapped slowly along his shoulder, crawling up the side of his neck until they were curled under his jaw. “We’re getting rid of them to protect everyone in Beacon Hills. You’ll join us, won’t you?”

“I will.” Theo swallowed back his fear and nodded, lifting his head to meet her eyes. “I want them gone as much as you do. Liam Dunbar and his friends will pay for the havoc they’ve caused around here.” He promised. Judging by her pleased smile, she bought the lie. “If you stab them in the library, I’ll make sure no one else hears about it.” He couldn’t protect everyone, he knew that. But if he could identify the supernatural students and tell the pack to help protect them...it was a necessary evil.

“I like you, Theo.” Monroe patted his cheek fondly before dropping her hand. “Come by my office tomorrow morning. We’ll need to create a plan and make sure the team knows you’re one of us.”

“I’ll be there.” Theo promised, lowering his gaze to his bloodied hands. “Any chance you can let me back into the school so I can wash this off? I don’t think my mom will appreciate it.”

“I don’t have keys.” Monroe said. Gabe scoffed and took a step closer, pulling a water bottle from his back pocket. He opened it without a word and Theo held out his hands, letting Gabe clean them off. Nolan wordlessly held out a handkerchief and Theo wrapped it around his wound, nodding his thanks as he glanced down at the cloth. It was dirty, but it was better than nothing.

“See you tomorrow.” He stepped around the small group and climbed into his truck, doing his best to act as though everything was okay. It took all of his willpower not to pull out his cellphone to call Liam. The drive home was awkward and uncomfortable trying to use his injured hand, but he made it work. By the time he’d pulled into the driveway, the clock said it was nearly midnight and the exhaustion was weighing him down. His mom was going to kill him for working so late. 

He eased his way into the house, trying to shut the door as quietly as possible. A light turned on from inside the living room and he sighed, toeing off his shoes. Stepping into the living room, he was surprised to find his father sitting and waiting on him. “Hey.”

“I didn’t know you were working a double shift tonight,” his dad said calmly as he looked up from his phone. “Your mom went to bed. She was worried about you when you weren’t home for dinner.”

“I sent her a text saying I had to work late.” Theo sighed. “I’m sorry. Any leftovers?”

“In the microwave. Theo, I’m worried about you. Have you been taking your medicine?” His dad asked. Theo tensed at that, biting the inside of his cheek. “Theodore,” he pressed firmly. 

“Mostly. The pills make me tired, dad. I’m just cutting them in half, I’m not missing doses.” He shrugged weakly. 

“Do we need to tell Liam to talk some sense into you?” 

“No.” Theo swallowed hard, lowering his gaze. “We...um...broke up today. Dad. You’re going to start hearing things about Liam and his friends around town. It’s not true. Don’t believe a word of it. We just...need some time apart to figure some things out right now.” It was close to the truth. Close enough that he wouldn’t be pressed for more information. 

His dad heaved a troubled sigh and got up, cutting out the lamp before crossing the room. He hugged Theo tightly, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. “Love you, kiddo. You know I’m just trying to look out for you. If you want to talk about this breakup, I’m here for you.”

“Thanks, dad. Love you, too.” Theo hugged him tightly with one arm, keeping his injured hand stuffed in his pocket so his dad wouldn’t see it and start to worry. “Liam and I will be okay. It’s more like taking a break, really.”

“I know you two will work it out. You look at him the way I look at your mom.” His dad released him and kissed his forehead before stepping back. “Good night, Theo. Eat and then go to bed. I won’t tell your mother what we’ve said here, you’ll have to break the news to her yourself. As for the medicine...start taking the full doses. I don’t want to lose you any sooner than I have to.”

“I know. I’ll do better, I promise.” Theo swallowed around the lump in his throat. He watched his dad head upstairs, slowly shuffling into the kitchen. A bowl of rice and chicken was waiting in the microwave and he heated it up, pouring himself a glass of water while he waited. As soon as the food was ready, he grabbed the bowl and a clean fork before making his way to his bedroom. Setting the food on the nightstand, he walked into the bathroom to take his medicine and deal with his hand. The wound throbbed as he rinsed it off as he grit his teeth against the pain, cleaning it as best as he could before the pain was too much. Wrapping a clean bandage around it, he returned to his bed and collapsed back onto it as he reached for his food. 

The days events swirled around in his head, refusing to ice him any peace of mind. He’d heard nothing from Liam or Mason. He knew they’d discussed bringing him a burner phone that night, but perhaps something had come up. As much as he wanted to text his soulmate, he resisted. He couldn’t rely on Liam right now and he couldn’t reach out without risking everything. For the first time in over a year, Theo was left on his own. 


	5. Chapter 5

For the first time in weeks, Josh was certain he wasn’t going to die that day. The psychotic ward from Eichen House was focusing all of his efforts on electrocuting two betas zip tied to the fence beside of him. Not that he was completely ignoring Josh. The chimera was still healing from burns on his thighs that had been created from curing him of wolfsbane poisoning. He drew his first pain free breath, eyes shutting as the beta farthest from him was shocked.

It was easy to reach out and try to feel Brett through the bond. As it had for days, the feeling was nonexistent. It was cold and empty at the other end. He’d expected as much. After the first day of trying, it had stopped hurting. His boyfriend was dead. Josh could vaguely recall the feel of fire spreading through his veins and the pain that had radiated through his body, phantom sensations in comparison to what Brett was actually going through. Josh was sure that a small sliver of him would believe that Brett was still alive somehow, a part of him that wouldn’t give up until he stopped breathing. He wasn’t going to get out of this place alive. The hunters had made that perfectly clear. He just hoped that Theo would know he hadn’t abandoned him the night of his capture.

“I’m not gonna tell you anything.” The beta to his far left said, sounding resigned to their fate. The girl between he and Theo let out an unhappy snarl, panting hard. The man tormenting them extended his baton, a mock sympathetic look transforming his features.

“I don’t really have any questions.” Pressing down in the button, he pressed it hard against the boy’s side and Josh watched him convulse in pain, pained groans slipping through clenched teeth. The boy’s head hung limp as their tormentor moved on to the girl, head cocking slightly. “I don’t have any questions for you, either.”

“Good.” She said, fangs bared up at him. He pressed the baton against her stomach and she screamed as thousands of watts of electricity pulsed through her.

“Stop! Just stop!” The other boy pleaded. As the baton was pulled back, the girl lifted her head in challenge.

“We’re not afraid to die,” she said confidently. Josh itched to strike her across the face and tell her she was taunting death.

“Does they go for everyone here?” The man asked.

“Not me.” Josh said firmly, ignoring the betas as they stared at him in disbelief. “No death. No more pain. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.” He said, softening his voice to something silken and deadly. Maybe he could try and talk his way out of this and get reprieve for a few more hours. The baton slammed into his stomach and he grit his teeth, strained gasps escaping him as he fought to breathe.

“I don’t have any questions,” the man growled in his ear as he leaned closer.

“Okay,” Josh panted as the man backed away and started to walk in a line in front of them. “Maybe you have some unfinished business with these two losers. But I’m not with them.” His stomach swooped as the man set down the baton and began to approach his work bench. Instead of reaching for the remote, he bent down for a bucket of water and Josh’s blood ran cold. “I-I don’t know who they are, or what they did, or what their problem is.” For once, he needed the pain to stop. He’d gotten a taste of freedom, of reprieve, and he wasn’t ready to go back to hell. “I’m not a part of it.” He said, desperation edging into his voice as the bucket was pulled back. Ice cold water splashed across his face and the other two betas, soaking them. He knew what was coming next. He grit his teeth and put on a brave face, breathing hard. “That wasn’t friendly.” He snarked. The man smiled and pulled out the remote that made his heart skip a beat, walking away to sit on a chair across from them. He ran his fingers along the dial, watching them in stony silence.

The girl to his immediate left let out a low snarl, her body trembling against the chain link fence. “Just do it!” She bellowed. Josh opened his mouth to protest, but a scream spilled from his lips as the entire fence became electrified. He doubled over when it finally stopped, gasping for breath as he looked over at the other two betas.

“How about you let me do the talking?” He demanded, baring his teeth as the girl snarled at him. She turned away and he glanced at the man, struggling to bring his breathing back to a normal level. “You obviously have us here for a reason.” The words were barely out of his mouth before the pain started again and his legs threatened to buckle as agony rippled through him. The man laughed and Josh lifted his head, swallowing down his pride. “If you, if you tell me what you want-“ The pain came again, rattling him and making him see black spots along the edges of his vision. His legs gave out and he slumped forward, fire racing through his veins as his head throbbed. “I’m trying to help you,” he pleaded. Another click of the button. As Josh’s legs slipped out from under him, he turned and looked at the betas. “What the hell did you two do?!” He screamed. Only harsh pants and amused laughter answered him. “All right, look, can you just-“ Pain. “Stop it!” Brett’s smile danced through his head, bloodied and warped with sightless eyes watching him. “Fine!” He let his body fall forward as the next wave of pain hit, praying that an end would come soon. When it stopped for longer than a few precious seconds, he lifted his head and turned to look at the two betas again. “If we get out of this alive...I’m gonna kill you myself. And then I’m gonna-“ he paused, something glowing orange catching in his peripheral. The zip ties binding his wrists to the fence were getting heated from the constant electric shocks. With a carefully timed pull, he might be able to break them. Brett. I’m coming for you.

“So that’s all you’ve got?” He asked, a dark chuckle escaping him as he slowly lifted his head. “Because I’m not impressed.” He said, smirking. “What did they do? Give you permission to shock us a little, bit not do any real damage?” He asked, smiling bitterly.

“What are you doing?” The girl beside him snarled.

“I’ve been dosed up with wolfsbane, I’ve been beaten within an inch of my life, and I’ve been shocked for hours on end until my heart stopped. Revived twice so your sick games could keep going.” Josh hissed. “So this? This is nothing.” He said. The man clenched his jaw, heartbeat ticking up, and Josh knew he had him right where he wanted him. “They don’t trust you, Schrader.” Three heartbeats jumped. “Yeah, that’s right.” He laughed lowly. “I remember you.” He said as the man got to his feet, sarcastic smirk appearing. “Weird little sadist from Eichen House. Did they fire you?” He asked quietly as Schrader got closer to him, anger in his eyes. “Or did you get out of there before they realized you were just another psycho that should have been locked up with the other freaks?” He asked, leaning in until their noses were almost touching. He dropped his gaze as Schrader lifted the remote, clicking the settings up as high as they would go. Good. He’d expected nothing less. “No,” Josh continued to goad, “they fired you, didn’t they? Did you get caught trying to stick helpless patients with needles again?” He leaned in again, a cruel smile spreading as he sneered. “Or did they catch you trying to stick them with something else?” He clenched his fingers around the metal wire just as Schrader hit the button, grinding his teeth as wildfire courses through his body. Everything in him throbbed and he kept his gaze focused on Schrader, letting out a hollow laugh. “Looks like…” he began, breath hitching for a moment as he felt his wrists begin to burn. Schrader upped the dial to the last setting and the electricity intensified. “...we’ve got a winner!” He jerked his wrists and the zip ties snapped clean off, freeing him immediately.

He didn’t hesitate. Eyes burning gold, he leapt at the bastard. The remote clattered to the floor as Schrader turned to run, but Josh’s clawed hand dug into his shoulder. Snarling, he tossed him down onto the ground and reached for him by the ankles when the man attempted to crawl away. “Where do you think you’re going?” He demanded roughly, flipping him onto his back and pinning him with a heavy foot against the back of his neck. One wrong move and Schrader’s spine would snap. “I’m nowhere near finished with you yet.” He hissed, leaning down so he could speak into his ear. “People like you are the reason my mate is dead. You don’t deserve to live.” He growled softly, letting his claws trail slowly down his spine with just enough pressure to make him afraid. “A quick death isn’t good enough for the likes of you.” He drew his foot back and smashed it into the side of Schrader’s face, watching his head roll limply as he fell unconscious.

“What about us?” The girl demanded. Josh rolled his eyes and reached behind her, cutting her free with an easy slice of his claws. He stripped his soaked shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor, pressing his lips in a thin line as he looked down at his battered and bruised body. It would probably take a few days for all of his injuries to heal at the snail’s pace his body had become accustomed to. He walked over to the work bench, reaching for a pair of zip ties. With the cold detachment of a practiced killer, he hefted Schrader’s body up and secured him to the fence. He used more than enough to attach his body, taking pleasure in the way Schrader’s eyes widened in fear when they finally opened. Saying nothing, Josh gave a mock salute and strolled back to the work bench. He spied the jacket he’d been wearing almost weeks prior, buried under a pile of tools, and he tugged it free to pull it over his head. “You just gonna leave him there?” The girl asked.

“Him and you,” Josh replied bluntly. He didn’t owe anything to a couple of reckless betas.

“We didn’t need your help anyways.” The other boy said. Josh scoffed and looked away, scanning the table for anything that could be of use to him.

“Come on,” the girl said. “I want to put a couple hundred miles between us and this place by dawn.”

“You got a car?” Josh asked, finally catching interest.

“No.” The girl reached over, lifting the keys from the middle of the table. “But he does.” As she pulled the keys back, Josh caught sight of the black ink on her wrist and yanked it toward him. He knew those stacked rocks as well as he knew his own body.

“What is that?” He demanded hoarsely.

“You’ve never seen a pack symbol before?” The boy asked. Josh swallowed back a bitter remark and put on his best sneer.

“I’m not much of a pack animal. Answer the question,” he said as he directed his gaze back at the blonde girl.

“They’re stacked rocks. It’s a Buddhist practice.” She said, confirming his fears.

“You’re part of Satomi’s pack. The Buddhist werewolves.” He swallowed past the lump in his throat.

“Satomi’s dead. We don’t have an alpha or a pack anymore.” The boy sighed.

“Of course you still have an alpha.” Josh snorted bitterly. “The power gets passed down to a beta.”

“Well, we don’t have it.” The girl growled unhappily as she yanked her wrist free from his hold. “What do you care?”

“I knew Brett and Lori.” Josh said softly. “I’m Josh.” At the mention of his name, the boy’s eyes went wide in surprise and then sympathy.

“Jiang. This is Tierney. I’m sorry to have to tell you-“ The boy began.

“I know.” Josh murmured. “You two should find Scott McCall. He’s got a thing for taking in strays.”

“You know Scott McCall?” Tierney asked, shifting closer to him.

“Do you know where he is?” Jiang asked. Josh hesitated as he considered being honest. On the one hand, Scott and the others deserved to know he was alive. On the other, he wanted to skip town and leave his heartbreak somewhere in the dust. Theo would be fine without him. He had Liam. But who the hell was watching Liam’s back? What if the hunters targeted him and the McCall pack next? As much as he wanted to run, he needed to stay.

“I might,” he resigned himself to helping as he held out his hand for the car keys. Tierney hesitated a moment, searching his expression before placing the keys firmly in his hand. He started to turn away from the table and head for the exit, but he couldn’t quite make himself take that first step. With a glance back at the fence, he reached for the remote and made sure the settings were still all the way up. “Enjoy your burn in hell,” he murmured before slamming it facedown on the table. Schrader’s screams echoed as he turned and walked away, feeling nothing.

As they walked through the parking lot, Josh’s eyes fell on a tarp covered vehicle only a few feet away. He pulled it back to find his ruined car, running his fingers along the metal as he approached the driver’s side. Leaning in through the shattered window, he plucked his phone from where it had been abandoned in the front seat. He snatched his wallet from the cup holder, not surprised that it had been combed through and most everything of monetary value was gone. It didn’t matter. The wrinkled picture of him with Liam and their friends was still tucked securely between the folds and he half smiled at it. He tucked it into his back pocket and covered the car again, saying nothing to the werewolves as he clicked the keys and crossed the parking lot. “There,” he pointed at a car at the end of the building that lit up. “There it is.”

It was never that simple. A siren wailed for a moment as the sheriff’s vehicle pulled into the entrance, blocking it, and Josh grit his teeth. “Don’t move,” he uttered quietly as the sheriff stepped from his vehicle. “And let me do the talking. Only me,” he warned as he glanced back at the pair. They pressed closer together and Josh turned to face the sheriff, putting on his best smile.

“Josh.”

“Sheriff,” he returned in a friendly manner. Disappointment radiated from the older man and Josh’s insides clenched. “What seems to be the problem here?” He asked.

“Isn’t that usually my line?” Sheriff Stilinski cracked a half smile. Another siren went off and Josh glanced back at the cop car waiting behind them.

“Just letting you know we don’t have a problem,” Josh said hesitantly.

“Unfortunately, I think you do.” Stilinski replied. Josh’s smile slipped as he heard the other car door slam shut. “Hands above your head. All of you.”

“You’re arresting us?” Josh asked in disbelief. “For what?”

“Murder.” The sheriff replied simply. “Josh, don’t make this harder than it needs to be.” The chimers grit his teeth and lifted his hands up, wincing as the stretch pulled at the wounds littering his torso. There was no way the sheriff and his men already knew about Schrader. It wasn’t possible.

“Who did we murder?” Josh asked. He glanced at the other two werewolves and shook his head, silently telling them to stand down as their fangs extended. “Go quietly.” He ordered as the officers began reading their rights. The sheriff grabbed his upper arm and hauled him over to his car, yanking open the back door and shoving him inside. It wasn’t until the other cop car pulled away, headed for the station, that the sheriff relaxed.

“Been looking everywhere for you, kid. You had us all worried.” He said softly, taking Josh by surprise.

“Why are you arresting me then?” Josh asked. “Look, I didn’t kill whoever-“

“I know.” The sheriff replied gently. He stepped away and opened the passenger door, rummaging through his glove box for a moment before pulling out a pack of crackers and a bottled water. “Here,” he offered them to Josh. “You just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. What happened to you?”

“Hunters, I think.” Josh shrugged and took the offered food. “They didn’t really explain what they wanted, just shot up my car. Next thing I knew, I was chained up and the torture began.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and offered it to the older man. “Can you charge this?”

“Sure thing. You okay to sit back here while I drive?”

“As long as I can lay down, I don’t care.” Josh replied. He watched the door shut and sank down into the seat, groaning softly. “Fuck,” he hissed as the belt buckle dug into his bruised side. “So where are you taking me?” He asked, tearing open the pack of crackers as the sheriff climbed in.

“Police station. I’m not arresting you, not exactly. I need your help.” He explained, glancing in the rear view mirror. Josh rolled his eyes and nodded, biting into the cracker. “Those two were werewolves, right? They won’t say anything to us if they think we’re with the hunters. And we aren’t,” he added firmly. “I was hoping you might know something or be able to convince them to be honest with us. All we have are vague descriptions that may or may not match those two. But you’ve been with them for a few hours, right? Do you know something?”

“No. I was unconscious when they were brought in.” Josh replied dryly. “It’s not like we had time to braid each other’s hair in there. We literally just escaped when you arrived.”

“I’m sorry we couldn’t find you. We’ve been looking. All of us,” the sheriff explained. “Theo was a wreck when you went missing. And Josh-“

“I know he’s dead.” Josh said coldly. He didn’t need yet another reminder. Jiang and Tierney has only confirmed his beliefs and he’d felt the last few shreds of his humanity slipping, leaving nothing behind but apathy and the desire to run. The second he was done with this, he planned to skip town. As soon as he checked in with Liam and Theo and found out why there were hunters.

“I’m sor-“

“I don’t want to hear it.” Josh snapped coldly. He looked out the window as the police station came into view, gritting his teeth. “If I do this, you’ll drop the charges and let me go?” He asked as the sheriff parked.

“As soon as we have some kind of a confession. We have cameras in the holding cells and Parrish and I will monitor them while you’re inside.” Stilinski nodded, cutting the engine. “I’ll charge your phone inside and make sure it’s ready for you when you leave.”

“Why are you helping me?” Josh asked as he straightened up, taking a swig from the water bottle before capping it.

“Because you helped me bring back my son. You could have run away, but you stayed to fight the ghost riders. And you haven’t left town yet. You’re changing, Josh. Even if I can’t fully understand it.” Sheriff Stilinski said softly. “Hands behind your back, okay? Gonna have to cuff you and make it look real. You sure you can do this?” He asked, turning to look back.

“I’m great at pissing people off and making them talk. Haven’t you heard?” Josh smiled darkly and the sheriff frowned slightly, climbing from his car and opening the back. Josh slipped from the vehicle and rolled his shoulders back, extending his hands back to be cuffed. “Don’t forget my phone. I want it before I go.”

“Already in my pocket.” The sheriff promised. He pushed Josh ahead of him and toward the building, tightening his hold as he wrenched open the door. “That’s enough out of you, Diaz.” He snapped. “Parrish! Get him processed!” He said, gesturing for the young deputy to come and take hold.

“What’s the matter, Stilinski?” Josh drawled, plastering on a smug grin as Parrish dragged him away. “I thought I was growing on you! Don’t tell me you got tired of me,” he chuckled as Parrish forced him to sit down at an empty desk. “What? You think you’re better than me? Think you’re something special?” He called, rolling his head back to watch the other man stalk into his office and slam the door. Josh straightened with a snort and flicked his gaze to the computer Parrish turned toward him, nodding. The hellhound pointed out the different cameras and Josh hummed softly in acknowledgement. The deputy led him back to the holding cells a moment later, undoing the cuffs and shoving him inside without a second thought. “And here I thought we were pals, Jordy. Guess the sheriff only wants to keep a purebred lapdog around and not a mutt like me.” He called at his back as Parrish left, the door clicking shut behind him.

“You’re only going to make it worse for all of us,” Jiang said softly from behind him. Josh didn’t bother giving him the time of day. He turned around and glanced at the camera, wrapping his fingers around the cold steel bars and shaking them lightly for good measure. They had to be imbued with mountain ash and wolfsbane. He could feel the itch under his palms that made his skin crawl, hair standing at the back of his neck.

“I had nothing to do with this!” Josh yelled, rattling the bars again for a moment. “Hello? Come on!” He kicked at the bottom, letting out a growl of frustration as he turned back to the betas. “So who was it? Huh? Which one of you killed someone?” He smiled sharply, eyes zeroing in on Tierney and her icy demeanor. “Probably you. So, who did you kill?” He took a step closer and she continued to ignore him, staring fixedly at the far wall. “All right, I get it.” He chuckled lowly, fangs sliding out to poke from the corners of his mouth. “The longer you stay quiet, the better. Am I right?” He focused his gaze on Jiang, picking up the uptick in his heartbeat and the wya his hands started to fidget. He would crack at any moment. The young beta wanted to protect Tierney, that much was obvious. She was clearly the ringleader of the pair with her cold attitude and sharp words from before when Schrader had tormented them. If he could just get the boy to break, the truth was sure to come spilling out. Sighing, Josh pulled his fangs back in and knelt down in front of him. “I want to help you, Jiang. I do. I’ve had nothing but respect for Satomi and her pack. If you two are all that’s left, I want to protect you. But you’re here for murder,” he said. Jiang’s heartbeat spiked and Tierney reached over, squeezing his shoulder. “They’re keeping me here, too.” Josh murmured, holding his fearful gaze. “But you’re the murderers.”

“We’re not murderers,” Jiang replied immediately.

“Jiang…” Tierney’s voice wavered in fear.

“If you’d been there, you’d know we didn’t have a choice.” He said, swallowing hard. Tierney sat up, nails pressing into his shoulder as her gaze twisted in anger and disgust. “They came after us.”

“Jiang, shut up!” She barked, an edge of annoyance creeping in. Josh lifted his gaze to Tierney’s, a satisfied smile spreading as he slowly got to his feet. He turned back to the cameras and walked a couple of feet, making sure he was in clear view.

“We good?” He asked, spreading his arms out.

“You said you’d take us to Scott McCall.” Tierney said, quickly getting to her feet. “You said you’d help us.”

“I said I knew where to find him,” Josh corrected with a halfhearted glance back. “I never said where he’d find you. Don’t be mad that I held up my end of the bargain, sweetheart.” He winked, turning back around as he heard footsteps. Parrish gave him an unimpressed look as he swiped the keycard, opening the cell door. Josh stepped out and turned, giving a mock salute to the betas before he started to follow the deputy out. Just as he passed the threshold, he stepped back and slowly pivoted around. “One question.”

“We don’t owe you an answer.” Tierney snarled.

“If Satomi is really dead, who is the alpha of your pack? If you two are really the only ones left? Someone got that power.” Josh said, frowning. Had others managed to escape the death sentence and hidden themselves underground, staying off the grid?

“We don’t know.” Jiang answered softly. “Brett was always the next in command. With him gone...we don’t know who the power fell to.”

“Pity.” Josh snorted softly, lips curling. “I’d like to rip their throat out and take their power.” With that, he turned back around and followed Parrish into an interrogation room. Dropping down into a chair, he scrubbed at his eyes and draped himself lazily across the table. “You call Scott and the others?”

“As soon as we locked you in there. The pack will be here in twenty. Get some sleep, Josh. And here,” Parrish added. He pulled a phone from his pocket and slid it across the table. “Fully charged. When you’re ready to go, just knock on the glass. We’ve still got to do discharge papers.”

“Sure.” Josh shrugged and reached for his phone, waiting for Parrish to leave before unlocking it. The amount of notifications made his head spin and he pulled up his contact list immediately. With speed dial, the phone rang once and immediately went to voicemail. “You’ve reached Brett Talbot. Sorry I can’t come to the phone right now, I’m probably kicking ass in lacrosse or banging my boyfriend. Drop me a message at the tone. If this is Josh, quit dicking around and get over here. Love you.” The tone clicked and he ended the call, a lump forming in his throat. He went into his own voicemail next, finding Brett’s only message to him. Tears building in his eyes, he pressed play and curled in on himself as the recording played on a loop.

-

“We should have taken her to the station last night,” Liam said as he climbed into the car and looked over at Lydia. She pressed her lips in a firm line, concentrating on backing out of Scott’s driveway before giving him a quick glance.

“She had a hole in her head, Liam. We needed to let it heal first.” She explained, putting on her turn signal as they reached the end of the road. He huffed in response and rubbed his palms against his jeans, fidgeting in his seat. “Stop that. Relax, Liam. It will be fine.”

“It won’t be.” Liam muttered. “Lydia, people are out there actively trying to kill us off. Some of them are my classmates. The kids at school are on edge and I haven’t been able to speak to Theo since all of this happened yesterday. You said that Monroe didn’t want to talk peace with Scott, that she brought her own personal army. We need to start fighting back.”

“No. If we start to fight, we will be handing her a reason for everyone to be afraid of us and see us as the monsters she wants them to believe in. We can’t give her any more ammunition.” She replied firmly. “Trust Scott. And trust Theo, okay? He’s doing this to protect you.”

“He could get himself killed. I almost lost him once. I can’t go through that again. We just started to figure things out and rebuild our relationship. This is just another gap we’ll have to overcome and there are so many holes right now, I’m surprised we’re still functioning.” Liam snapped. He blew out a frustrated breath, glaring down at his clawed hands. “I can’t keep doing this. I need my anchor. Why am I the only one upset like this?” He demanded.

“You’re not alone, Liam. But we have to find a way to solve this with as little violence as possible. You weren’t down in the tunnels. You didn’t feel that...thing. Whatever is causing all of this, it isn’t good.” Lydia explained, glancing over. “I’ve been afraid of a lot of things that we’ve faced. But this...whatever it is? It’s the worst yet.” The grim tone in her voice unsettled Liam and he nodded, letting the subject drop for the time being. He focused on repeating his mantra again and again, reaching for his humanity and forcing the claws away. Lydia pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine, reaching for her door handle. Liam followed her out, not surprised that Scott had beat them to the sheriff’s office. He knew Lydia had taken the long way to give them a chance to talk.

As they walked into his office, Liam cast a glance at the dark-haired girl sitting and waiting. She was still holding her head in pain and he wondered what it had been like. To be shot in the head and somehow survive...he couldn’t imagine that kind of agony. From what he’d been told, she had shown up at Scott’s house the night before covered in blood and had collapsed. Now Scott was telling the sheriff the same story, or at least attempting to do so. The older man gestured for Liam to close the door, sighing heavily. “Scott. I know this is important, but I’ve got a bigger issue on my plate right now.”

“Did something happen?” Liam asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“They found Josh.” Scott said quietly. Liam’s chest tightened for a moment and he feared the worst. “Alive but not doing so well. The sheriff called us on our way over here. He was found with two werewolves accused of murder.”

“And Josh?” Liam asked.

“Not guilty, as far as I’m concerned.” The sheriff answered. “As I was just explaining, I’m not letting them out.” He tossed down a couple of files, one for each of the accused werewolves. “We’ve got two bodies covered in slash marks. They confessed to killing two people.”

“Two hunters.” Scott reminded with a deep frown.

“People, Scott. Self-defense or not, they’re still here. The other guys are dead and there’s a process I have to follow.”

“Yeah, but you know what’s happening around here. It’s not safe for them.” Scott countered, arms crossing over his chest. “It’s not safe for any of us right now.” Liam was inclined to agree with that.

“This may actually be the safest place for them in Beacon Hills. At least I can protect them here.” The sheriff practically spat through his teeth, jaw clenched and face turning an impressive shade of red.

“Would Stiles think that?” Lydia asked softly. Liam winced at the low blow.

“Especially if one of your deputies is working for Gerard?” Malia tacked on.

“Didn’t he kidnap and torment your son?” Liam asked, trying to scrape through his memories and grab an old conversation.

“I’m not buying that. I know these deputies like the back of my hand. I know their families, their kids, their brothers and sisters. I know who they are and I trust them.” The sheriff said, jabbing his finger at Malia.

“You know who they were,” Liam corrected. “There’s something out there. Everyone’s afraid and it’s been getting worse.”

“Exactly. Sheriff, you can’t protect two werewolves from hunters if they’re already on the inside.” Scott said. The older man nodded slightly, considering as he turned to address the young woman sitting down behind the pack.

“Quinn, isn’t it?” He asked. She lifted her head, warily watching him. “Are you sure it was a deputy who shot you? Are you one hundred percent sure?” She slowly nodded her head, lifting her gaze to meet his sympathetic eyes.

“I saw flashing lights. A police car. I...I saw a badge, a gun, and then they shot me.” Her voice climbed in volume, anxiety creeping in and putting the room on edge. “They shot me in the head,” she continued angrily, “and that’s all I remember.”

“There’s a couple holes in her story.” John pointed out, looking between each of the pack members.

“Maybe because there was a hole in her head,” Lydia replied bluntly. Malia let out a startled laugh at that and Liam raised an eyebrow, staring in disbelief at the werecoyote. She glanced at Scott and immediately adopted a mollified expression, trying to look apologetic.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sheriff, we need to get Jiang and Tierney out of here before anyone realizes that they’re here.” Scott pleaded.

“And take them where? I can’t let them go,” the sheriff countered.

“But if you keep them here, they’re-“ Lydia started.

“Look, if there’s a problem-“ The sheriff began. Liam briefly heard Josh outside the office talking to Parrish, asking if he heard something. There was a sound like a small explosion outside and bright headlights filled the office, shining through every window of the station as the pack turned to see what was going on. Tuning in his hearing, Liam heard several voices telling each other to get into position and the sound of a shotgun being pumped. The sheriff swore softly and hurried from his office, the pack following him out. “Get away from the windows and put those guns away,” he ordered his deputies.

“I’m guessing you already know who’s out there,” Parrish murmured to him.

“I got a pretty good idea.” The sheriff confessed.

“They’ll be armed to the teeth,” Parrish warned.

“Which is why I won’t be,” Stilinski said as he unclipped his gun from his belt and set it on a desk.

“I’m going with you,” Parrish protested by taking a step closer.

“No, you’re going to get some deputies, check the exits, and hope we’re not completely surrounded. And keep an eye out. Let’s make sure we’re all on the same side here.” The sheriff warned, heading for the door. He shielded his eyes against the bright light and stepped outside, leaving everyone holding their breath. Liam took the distraction to shift closer to Josh, lightly pressing their shoulders together as he turned to the chimera.

“Where have you been?” He whispered, frowning as Malia shot him a dirty look.

“Just hanging around,” Josh smiled sharply at Malia. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes, something that made Liam’s skin crawl with uncertainty. This wasn’t the same Josh he’d come to know.

“We’ve been looking for you for weeks,” Liam continued quietly. “Theo was worried sick about you.”

“At least someone missed me.” Josh said, catching Liam off guard with the bitter edge tainting his words. He replayed his reaction and grimaced, realizing what he’d done.

“Not just him. I was terrified you were dead. Corey was scared, too. And Mason. The sheriff was looking for you.” Liam added, biting down on his inner cheek when Josh didn’t respond. “We didn’t forget about you. You’re our friend.” The sound of multiple guns being readied outside made his heart skip a beat and he looked to the window. Malia slowly backed away, the sound of her racing heart like an assault on Liam’s ears.

“We have to get out of here,” the panic bled into her voice. Liam wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her like that. Had Malia ever been afraid of anything?

“Give him a chance, he knows what he’s doing.” Scott murmured, not looking back at her as he watched the sheriff trying to talk down Monroe and her small gathered army.

“So does she,” Josh murmured almost inaudibly. From the corner of his eye, Liam saw him try to hide a wince and press the flat of his palm to his side.

“I am giving him a chance,” Malia continued. Her panic rose and Scott finally took notice, shifting to face her. “He can talk all he wants, but we have to get the hell out of here.”

“What about Jiang and Tierney?” Liam asked. Like hell were they about to leave behind the last two werewolves left from Satomi’s pack. Brett and Lori’s loss had been hard enough, but finding out from Deaton that Satomi and the others had been slaughtered in their homes the day before made him sick to his stomach.

“Screw them. It’s Stilinski’s job,” Malia said firmly.

“But it’s our job to keep them alive,” Scott reminded gently.

“It’s not mine.” Josh spoke up.

“Do you want me to kill you?” Quinn demanded.

Malia turned, her trembling hands splayed out in front of her. “No, just leave him,” she said before looking at Scott. “Can we please just go?” She begged.

“We’re not going anywhere.” Quinn snapped. “Don’t you get it? We’re trapped. They have all of the windows and doors covered. We’re going to die in here.”

“Monroe and her toy soldiers, taking us out one by one.” Josh mused softly. “Does someone want to kill her?” He pointed at Quinn and Liam swatted against his chest, straightening as Malia whirled around. He subtly shifted between them, back to the chimera as he faced his pack mate.

“Shut up!” Malia screamed, a growl in her voice.

“Malia, hey.” Scott touched her arm from behind, gently drawing her attention to him. “Take a breath. You’re shaking.”

“I’m fine,” her voice shook and betrayed her words.

“Guys, there’s only a dozen of them out there. We can take them.” Lydia said.

“What happened to not being violent?” Liam countered with a troubled frown.

“Desperate times,” Lydia explained.

“Scott, they’re the last of Satomi’s pack. We can’t leave them behind.” Liam said, silently pleading that his alpha would do the right thing.

“Not true. Can’t be true,” Josh murmured. Liam’s chest constricted with the realisation that he would need to break the news to the chimera. He would have to relive Brett and Lori’s deaths to try and give his friend some kind of closure and his chest ached viciously.

“Okay. We go.” Scott said gently, rubbing his hands up and down Malia’s arms. “But Jiang and Tierney are coming with us,” he added with a nod at Liam.

“You’ll need the key card.” Parrish spoke from the doorway. “Get them out through the back. I’ll make sure no one notices,” he promised. Liam nodded and reached for the offered keycard, glancing at Josh. He needed to tell him the truth and break the news, but time was precious and almost slipping through their fingers. When they made it out of this alive, he would tell him everything. They just had to live.

“I’ll go get them and meet you at the back door. We can cram into Lydia’s car,” Liam rationalised as he flipped the key card between his fingers. The Jeep wouldn’t be reliable enough for this trip, it rarely was.

“Go.” Scott said. Liam didn’t waste another second, sprinting for the holding cells. Relief filled him for a moment as he saw Jiang and Tierney safe and sound, waiting in the cell for what was to come. He slid the key card through the lock and ripped the door open the moment the light turned green, nodding at the pair.

“We’re getting you out of here.” He said. Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and started to run. Silence followed him. Checking over his shoulder, his heart skipped a beat when he realized he was alone. He doubled back and grit his teeth, flexing his jaw. “What are you doing? Come on.”

“We can heart them out there. A lot of heartbeats.” Tierney said, sounding afraid.

“And guns,” Jiang tacked on.

“You want to be locked in a cell if they get in here,” Liam questioned as he eyed them both, “or do you want to come with me?” They shared a look and Tierney nodded slightly at Jiang. He swallowed and looked at Liam, exhaling shakily.

“You’ll protect us?” He asked.

“Scott, me, the whole pack.” Liam promised.

“And Josh?” Tierney asked, sneering.

“Not pack.” The truth of that statement hit Liam unexpectedly. As much as Josh had become one of his closest friends, he still wasn’t considered part of the pack. It didn’t matter how much he’d changed or proven himself, he still hadn’t been accepted.

“Okay. Let’s go.” Tierney said. This time, they followed Liam out. He reached the barricade at the back entrance that had been pushed aside, looking at Scott. Parrish had moved desks and chairs to block the space, presumably from the hunters waiting outside. They truly were surrounded on all sides. With the path cleared, all they had to do was step outside.

“What now?” He asked.

“We fight.” Lydia said firmly.

“You ready?” Scott asked, looking at each pack member. Malia answered with a low snarl, nodding her head. Liam flicked his claws out and turned, giving Josh an encouraging nod to do the same. With an eye roll, the chimera raised his hand and extended his claws.

“Nobody’s going anywhere,” Stilinski called out from behind them. The group turned in unison, staring in disbelief at the man.

“I can get through them,” Lydia said. Liam admired her determination. Despite his resolve to fight, he wasn’t confident in the outcome against so many guns. For all they knew, the bullets were all coated in wolfsbane and more lethal than ever. Monroe had certainly known her poisons when she’d killed Brett.

“We’re not gonna fire the first shot.” Stilinski replied. “Now get back from the door, all of you. Parrish, get these two back in their cell.”

“What happened?” Scott asked as the hellhound took Jiang and Tierney by the arms, guiding them away.

“She gave us till midnight,” the sheriff sighed.

“Midnight isn’t going to do a whole lot of good with us trapped in here.” Liam hissed. Scott gave him a warning look and he curled his lip back in response. “I’m not letting them die, Scott.”

“We won’t let them die.” Scott said softly. The gentle dissuasion in his voice made Liam’s anger begin to burn. His IED lit under his skin, forcing him to take a deep breath before he snapped and said something stupid.

“Fix the barricade. Scott, Malia, come help me up front.” Stilinski instructed. Liam watched them go and marched to the barricade, gritting his teeth as he began to move chairs and filing cabinets back into place. Josh joined him wordlessly, focused solely on the task at hand. Liam was grateful for the silence to try and get his head back on straight.

“Call Theo,” Josh said when they’d stepped back from the barricade. Liam turned and shook his head, biting his tongue as Josh frowned at him. “Little nuisance is probably worried about you. Knowing him, he’ll get himself in the middle of all this-“

“He’s one of them.” Liam said quietly. Josh went perfectly still, his breath shuddering. “You’ve missed a lot.”

“He loves you-“

“I can’t talk about this right now.” Liam said, gritting his teeth. “After. I promise, but-“ The lights went out, the scent of panic flooding the station almost instantly. Liam shifted back and sent Scott a nervous look, stepping away from Josh and moving closer to his alpha.

“How easy is it to cut the power to the sheriff’s station?” Malia asked.

“Too easy.” One of the deputies came from the back, throwing Nolan to the floor and sending him skidding.

“Throw him out,” Liam snarled instantly. He took a step forward and Scott’s hand came up, blocking his chest as Josh caught him by the elbow. “Let go of me,” he warned.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Josh scoffed. “He’s a teenager.”

“He’s one of them. He works with her.” Liam snapped.

“N-no, you can’t.” Nolan pleaded, scrambling back a few steps. “Okay? Please don’t. She’ll know I screwed up.” His heart was racing in fear and Liam’s claws pressed into his palms. Josh dug his fingers into his elbow, anchoring him to the spot.

“He’s with them,” Liam reminded Scott. “He can’t be trusted.”

“Liam,” his alpha warned.

“Sheriff?” Parrish asked.

“He’s a liar and he’s sick in the head,” Liam hissed as he turned to face Stilinski and the deputy. “He stabbed Corey,” he reminded. Silence settled over the room and Scott looked between the pair and the boy on the floor, his expression troubled.

“And now he’s under arrest. Lock him up.” Stilinski instructed. Parrish stepped forward and lifted Nolan up, dragging him from the room. Liam’s breath rattled as it left his chest and he yanked his elbow free of Josh, stepping away from him.

“Oh no, not this time.” Josh grabbed him by the arm again, ignoring Liam’s snark of protest. “Excuse us,” he muttered as he hauled the beta away. He shouldered open the door to the bathroom and sent Liam stumbling forward, eyes blazing as he blocked his attempt at an escape. “Monroe’s not gonna stop,” he ground out through his teeth. “She’s going to do everything she can to get in here, Liam. Nothing we can say will make them turn tail and get in their cars and drive away. Those two losers killed hunters-“

“Who killed their pack,” Liam insisted.

“So what? I’m not risking my life for them and neither should you. Start giving me answers, Liam. Monroe’s going to tear through anything standing between her and them. That means you, Lydia, Malia, and Scott. And what happens when she’s done with all of you? She’ll go after Mason and Corey. Then Theo. You really want everyone to die so desperately? Are you gonna watch your friends die?”

“Would you rather hunters murder them?” Liam countered quietly, a simmering heat in his voice. “Jiang and Tierney weren’t the only ones that were part of Satomi’s pack.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Josh scoffed. Liam’s breath caught and Josh’s lips twisted in a sneer. “The hit-and-run.” The words were clipped and matter-of-fact, not tinged with emotion the way Liam had been expecting. “Sorry if I’m not losing sleep over some roadkill.” He spat, his jaw quivering.

“They were murdered!” Liam exploded, stepping forward and getting in his face. “Brett and Lori. They didn’t have anything to do with this. You of all people-“

“Don’t you fucking think about it,” Josh warned with an angry hiss. “You think saving these two is going to magically fix this and make everything better? It doesn’t bring back the dead, Liam. Your friends are dead. They’re going to stay dead no matter what you do-“ Liam’s first connected solidly with his jaw and nose, a sickening crack sounding as Josh fell back against the floor. He cupped his face, a twisted smile appearing as his mouth spilled blood. “Good for you, Liam. Get angry. Get pissed off.”

“Stop doing this!” Liam stamped his foot and Josh let out a broken laugh, the sound unsteady and dangerous. “You loved him and you lost him and it fucking sucks, stop acting like you don’t care! I lost him, too.”

“You’ve got Theo,” Josh reminded as he got slowly to his feet. He slumped sideways against the wall, turning his head and spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor. “He’s not with the hunters, you fucking liar.”

“Shut up,” Liam snapped. He turned, aggressively twisting the handle of the sink tap before turning and grabbing Josh’s arm. He shoved him facefirst down into the stream of water, ignoring the spluttered curses and hiss of pain. “He’s risking his life working for Monroe. That’s all I can say.”

“Could have just told me that out there,” Josh grumbled as he lifted his head up. Pink water trickled down his face and he turned, shoving Liam back a step before grabbing a paper towel to dry himself off.

“We don’t know who exactly is working with Monroe. One of the deputies is in here, but we haven’t figured out who. Are you done being a bitch?” Liam asked.

“Go fuck yourself,” Josh replied cheerfully. He slammed his shoulder into Liam’s as he started to walk out, smirking as the beta let out a low rumble. “Temper, temper.”

“You know I’m still working on my anger,” Liam reminded. “It’s fucking impossible without my anchor around.”

“So find a new anchor. Tough luck,” Josh scoffed and slipped out of the bathroom. Grinding his teeth in irritation, Liam cleaned the blood from his hands and quickly followed. He stepped behind the desk Scott was standing at, opening his mouth to ask what was going on when Scott turned to him and settled a hand on his shoulder.

“It’ll be okay. Why don’t you keep an eye out on these three for a bit?”

“You’re not mad at me?” Liam asked quietly.

“I remember how hard it was for me every time I lost Allison. You just need a different anchor right now, that’s all.”

“Josh said the same thing.”

“He’s smarter than most of us give him credit for. You trust him?”

“Absolutely.” Liam didn’t even need to think open it. “What worked for you?”

“My friends. Having my pack. I focused on finding my strength through them.” Scott explained. “I need to go check on Malia. Just take a few minutes to collect yourself. It’ll all work itself out,” he promised before pulling his hand away. Liam nodded and switched spots with them, turning his attention to the screens for the holding cells. Nolan was sitting on a bench across from the two werewolves, bent over and messing with something. It took Liam a moment to realize that he was holding a key in hand and the handcuffs were coming undone.

“Shit!” He pushed away from the desk as Nolan stood, skidding across the floor as he rushed for the holding cells. Whatever Nolan was planning, he would just have to be faster. His sneakers slapped against the floor as he sprinted, ignoring the calls of his name as he turned down the ball and continued running. As Nolan held up a vial of wolfsbane, Liam lurched through the open door and body slammed him against the cell. He grabbed Nolan by the back of the neck and held his face against the bars, snagging the purple liquid from his fingertips with an unhappy snarl. “I should have listened to my gut,” he hissed in Nolan’s ear. “I should have made them throw you out with the rest of the trash.”

“It’s too late,” Nolan laughed. “They’ll he dead by midnight either way. Monroe always gets what she wants. She got Theo, didn’t she?” He taunted. Liam’s claws pressed into the back of his throat, eyes flashing gold as he looked to Jiang and Tierney. Bright blue eyes met his and his anger wavered for a moment.

“No…”

“What?” Nolan asked. Liam ignored him, forcing his arms behind his back and shoving him out of the holding cell area. The center of the station was filled with smoke and his stomach churned at the thought of an inside attack, but he had more pressing concerns.

“Wolfsbane,” Liam said as he shoved Nolan toward Scott. He held up the vial for everyone to see. “He was trying to kill them. But Scott? There’s something else you need to see.”

“I’ll take the runt,” Josh sneered as he took a step closer. “How long can you stay alive while I disembowel you? I’m thinking five minutes. Wanna bet on it?”

“N-no. Please, please don’t let him kill me.” Nolan tunes pleading eyes to the sheriff. Liam rolled his eyes and shoved him toward Parrish and Stilinski, impatiently grabbing Scott by the wrist and marching back toward the holding cells. Jiang and Tierney were sitting on the bench when he arrived, both staring intently at the ground.

“Show him your eyes,” Liam growled.

“We never said we were innocent,” Tierney began. Her voice shook, twisting Liam’s insides.

“Show me.” Scott said quietly. When the pair didn’t budge, he shook the bars of the cell and let out an inhuman roar. Liam’s eyes shifted immediately as Scott demanded for them to show him a second time and twin blue eyes turned in unison. “Get the key card from Parrish.” He said quietly, not moving.

“On it.” Liam returned in less than a minute, Josh following a couple of feet behind him. He swiped the key card and Scott stepped into the holding cell, Liam a step behind as they approached the pair.

“Tell me what happened,” Scott said gently.

“They were hunters.” Tierney said, lifting her chin defiantly. Josh scoffed in the background and Liam tossed him a dirty look.

“If I’m asking my friends to risk their lives for you, then you have to tell me the truth. What happened?” Scott pressed again.

“Satomi didn’t want to fight,” Jiang began. “We were on the run for two days, but they were everywhere. Then it was just us hiding in the storm drain while Satomi tried to talk to them.”

“But they didn’t want to talk,” Tierney said vehemently. “She died so we could keep running.”

“And then what?” Liam prompted.

“We stopped running.” Tierney’s smile was bloodthirsty. “We started hunting them instead.”

“How?” Scott inquired.

“It’s not hard to use public records to find where someone lives. All you need is a name.” Tierney said.

“Were they the ones who killed Satomi?” Scott asked. “Or Brett and Lori?” Josh let out a quiet snarl. “Did you see them kill anyone?”

“Does it matter?” Tierney scoffed.

“It does matter!” Liam roared, taking a step forward. “You can’t kill innocent people.” Tierney lurched to her feet, her fangs starting to show.

“They murdered our entire pack! Did you forget that? You really think any of them are more innocent than us?” She demanded.

“The two you killed were.” Josh spoke up, shifting forward a step into the cell. “Otherwise your eyes wouldn’t be blue.”

“Like you’re one to talk. You murdered your entire pack,” Tierney fired back.

“Not to mention,” Josh continued as he ignored her, “you two can’t be the only ones left.”

“Why not?” Liam asked.

“Because one of them would be the alpha. Which means someone from Satomi’s pack survived. Scott, we can use these two if they’re still alive. Find out who is left and convince them to help us fight back. Isn’t that what you want to do? Stop the hunters? We need an army, too.” Josh explained quietly.

“He wants to find the alpha so he can steal their power for himself. He told us that,” Tierney sneered. “He wanted to rip out their throat.”

“Still want to rip yours out,” Josh purred.

“Enough.” Scott commanded.

“What are you gonna do?” Jiang asked softly.

“I don’t know.” Scott admitted. He turned to look at Liam and Josh, nodding for them to exit the cell. “I need to talk to the sheriff.” He said. Josh waited for them to exit before pulling the door shut, hands slipping into his pockets as he followed them out. “Liam, what do you think?”

“I think they were scared and angry and reacted.” Josh cut in, rolling his eyes when the pair looked back in surprise. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice how their hearts were hammering.”

“Did they say anything else while you were all being held hostage?” Scott asked.

“Nothing. They just wanted to get out of town as quickly as possible.” Josh replied. “I wasn’t exactly conscious when they were brought in.”

“How long were you all held captive?” Scott asked, stopping in his tracks.

“I don’t know. Not long for them. Does it really matter? I was ready to die there. We all were.” Josh shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “You should talk to the sheriff. Liam and I will keep an eye on things out here.”

“Thank you. I’ll be back.” Scott promised. He gestured for the sheriff and stepped into his office, closing the door a moment later.

“I’m sorry.” Liam whispered, pulling Josh’s attention. “I’m sorry that we couldn’t find you sooner. We should have looked harder-“

“Was Brett alone?” Josh interrupted, turning his gaze downward. Liam still managed a glimpse of the tears welling up. “I know he and Lori got hit-“

“I was there. He...he wasn’t in pain anymore. He spoke like you were right there with him. Lori tried to take his pain and there was nothing to take. He was already gone.” Liam answered softly. Josh’s shoulders trembled for a moment and he gave a clipped nod, exhaling. “We all went to his funeral. It was a beautiful service, you would have loved it.”

“I don’t do goodbyes.” Josh murmured weakly.

“When we get out of here, I’ll take you to see his grave. He’d like that. I haven’t visited since…” he trailed off, sighing softly. Josh nodded and silently pressed their shoulders together, leaning into him for comfort.

The shattering window took them all by surprise. An arrow embedded in the wall mere inches from Liam’s face, a tattered cloth hanging from it. One stained with black blood, a tainted scent that Josh could still recognize despite the poison and days it had been dried. Malia ripped it from the wall, Liam snatching it away and unrolling it. “This is Brett’s number.” He said, lifting his head to look at Josh and then Scott.

“How did that bitch get it?” Josh hissed.

“They’re trying to rattle us.” Lydia said. Liam snarled softly, lifting bright gold eyes. Josh’s turned in response and his lip curled back.

“It’s working.” He stepped forward, grabbing Liam by the upper arm and roughly shaking him. “Get your head back in this. We need you. Theo needs you.” He growled in an undertone. Liam’s eyes shifted back to blue, his fangs slowly retracting as he gave a curt nod.

A startled scream broke them apart and Liam watched the deputy and sheriff hurry to where Nolan was being held. He strained to listen for a moment, surprised that Nolan’s heart was hammering in fear. Good. Maybe he could feel an ounce of what Liam and the rest of the pack were going through. It wouldn’t bring back the dead, but it would make him feel better. He pressed his shoulder against Josh’s and silently nodded, glancing down at his hands as he tried to pull his claws back in. “The sun, the moon, the truth.” He whispered softly. It took two more tries before he could finally draw them back in, shame curling low in his gut.

“You smell that?” Josh asked softly, distracting him for a moment.

“What?”

“Fear. It’s everywhere. But it’s not normal,” Josh murmured softly.

“There’s a difference in fear?” Liam asked, wrinkling his nose.

“It’s blind fear. Panic inducing. It’s not normal. Malia reeks of it and so do-“ A gunshot sounded from the office, snapping them back to reality. Liam stepped toward the door, heart hammering in his chest as he heard the sheriff swear softly. “Fear did that?” He croaked softly. Josh’s mouth clicked shut and he gave a stiff nod, grabbing Liam by the elbow.

“Get Nolan. We’re putting him in the cell and the rest of us are getting the hell out of here,” Josh murmured softly.

“But-“

“Liam. Whatever is going on out there, it’s in here with us. I’m not going to sit around and watch us get picked off one by one by something we can’t see.”

“How do you know-“

“Lydia and Malia were talking while trying to get cell service back. I’m not a complete idiot,” Josh snorted softly. “Get Nolan. Get him in the cell and let’s get the fuck out of here.”

“Why does it matter?”

“Because if he’s behind bars, he’s not a threat. We lock him up and take Jiang and Tierney. Now go,” Josh urged. Nodding, Liam hurried over to the office and stumbled to a halt as Parrish attempted to step out with Nolan. The scent of blood and disappointment surrounded the hellhound and Liam’s insides quivered.

“I can take him for you,” he offered. “Parrish, what happened in there?” He asked softly. The older male shook his head and swallowed hard, glancing over his shoulder.

“You don’t want to see this. Put him in the cell, Liam. We’ll figure out what to do with him.” He said quietly. He didn’t need to be told twice. Curling his fingers around Nolan’s arm, he dragged him back to the holding cells and exhaled sharply.

“What happened in there?” He demanded with a low growl.

“I-I don’t know. The first guy hung himself and the lady...she shot herself. Fuck,” Nolan whispered. “Liam-“

“Shut up,” he warned darkly. Digging the key card from his pocket, he swiped it at the cell and ripped the door open. “Jiang. Tierney. We’ve got to move.” He ordered. The two betas exchanged a look and nodded in unison, scampering from the cell. They waited by the door and Liam shoved Nolan inside.

“What are you doing?” Nolan asked, voice wavering as he stumbled a few steps and turned quickly around.

“I’m saving your life, dumbass.” Liam replied, yanking the door shut. “Because whatever caused them to die? It’s still here. Unless you want to be next, I suggest you take a seat and keep your fucking head down.” He said, pressing his lips in a thin line as he turned away. Jiang and Tierney followed after him and he met Josh at the end of the hall, the chimera grinding his teeth.

“I was right. Lydia says whatever killed the wolves is in here, too.” Josh muttered.

“Josh!” Scott’s voice cut across the station and the chimera shook his head, turning to the alpha. “I have a question for you. Jiang and Tierney, tell me what happened with them. Follow me,” he added. Josh raised an eyebrow and hurried after him, leaving Liam to linger behind with Jiang and Tierney.

“I watched two guys bring them in and tie them up. Like I said, I was pretty out of it.” Josh said as he hurried to catch up. Scott paused in front of a filing cabinet blocking the exit, peering through the blinds at the hunters gathered.

“Okay, but how long did they actually have Tierney and Jiang?” Scott asked.

“A couple of hours, maybe. It’s hard to know.”

“Did Monroe talk to them?” Scott turned his head and Josh slowly shook his head, frowning.

“No, I don’t think so. Just that guy from Eichen and maybe one or two guys with shotguns. I think they were waiting on Monroe to start the real interrogating. Schrader was getting his rocks off playing games with us.” He explained as the sheriff joined them.

“So she might not have seen them?” Scott clarified.

“What are you getting at, Scott?” John asked.

“I’ve got an idea. I don’t think you’re going to like it,” he began.

“If it keeps them from being killed, you’ll find I’m pretty open.” John said firmly. Josh stifled the urge to roll his eyes, raising an eyebrow at Scott.

“Monroe said she wanted Jiang and Tierney brought out. Dead or alive,” he reminded.

“Use the bodies of the two dead. Not a bad plan, McCall. But what if she figures us out?” Josh asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Then we fight our way out if we have to. But that’s a last resort option. I don’t want anyone else dying tonight. On our side or theirs.” Scott answered.

“You always were a little too soft,” Josh sneered. “They won’t hesitate to kill us and you want to lie to their faces? I thought you were smarter than that.”

“I don’t see you coming up with a better plan,” the sheriff commented dryly. “Scott, I’ll support you on this. You haven’t steered me wrong yet.”

“My plan is to go down fighting.” Josh snapped. “This is a suicide mission.”

“Then don’t help me. I’ll ask Liam,” Scott said without missing a beat.

“Like hell you will,” Josh hissed. He took a step closer, eyes flaring gold. “You and me. We take the bodies out and dump them for her to see. You leave Liam out of this,” he said firmly.

“For that plan to work, we’ll need them to believe there was some kind of a struggle in here.” John began. Without blinking, Josh reached for his gun and unhooked it from his holster. He wrenched it free and fired upwards twice, clicking the safety back on and handing it over. “You ever do that again, I’ll arrest you.” He warned, fixing his gun and holster back onto his belt.

“Like I give a damn. Get two body bags, we need to make this fast. It’s almost midnight,” Josh reminded with a quick glance at the clock ticking away nearby. “If they doubt us and try anything, I’m going to rip out their throats one by one.” He warned Scott.

“If this doesn’t work, we aren’t getting out of here alive.” Scott said softly. Josh’s stomach twisted at the realization that a part of Scott had accepted their inevitable deaths.

“Speak for yourself,” he scoffed. Before Scott could respond, the sheriff returned and shoved a body bag at each of them.

“When you’re out there, you’ve got five minutes to convince her. After that, I’m sending you both inside.” He warned. He motioned for his deputies to start clearing the path to the door.

“You’re crazy,” Malia said as she entered the room with the rest of the pack on her heels. “What the hell are you doing?” She demanded, fixing her accusing stare on Scott.

“Josh, whatever you two are doing, you should rethink it.” Liam uttered softly. Josh shouldered past him with an eye roll, snapping for the nearest deputy to go and retrieve the bodies. The two men closest sent him a dirty look before slinking away, heading to the office to get their fallen comrades.

“Why, Liam? Scared your alpha’s plan won’t work?” He asked. Liam released a quiet noise of disagreement and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to turn around. “What?”

“Throwing your life away like this won’t do anything. It won’t bring him bac-“ The words caught in Liam’s throat as Josh shoved him back against the wall, fangs bared in his face.

“I’m doing this for you, you fucking moron. So you don’t have to die. Theo’s heart won’t be able to take that. And if he dies, I’m holding you personally responsible.” He snarled softly.

“I can take care of myself-“

“No, you can’t. Your anger always gets the best of you, Liam. I can’t let that be your downfall. Not tonight. Not when lives are on the line. If anything happens, you run like hell and get Theo out of Beacon Hills. I don’t care what it takes. You got that?” He demanded softly.

“He’s safe-“

“No, Liam. He’s not. No one is while that bitch and her army are around. You got that?” Josh gripped his jaw until Liam was forced to nod. “Stop being so damn stubborn.”

“Josh, we need to do this now.” Scott said. He released Liam and stepped back, drawing on his composure as he turned and walked over to the bodies laying on the floor. “Threatening Liam isn’t a good idea right now,” Scott said softly. Josh knew no one else could hear him and he snorted, shaking his head as he helped zip up a body.

“Why don’t you worry about the mission at hand? Liam doesn’t need you stepping in to save him,” Josh said calmly.

“But you seem to think he needs you,” Scott murmured. Josh clenched his jaw, saying nothing.

“You two ready?” Sheriff Stilinski asked as he stepped in front of the door. “Five minutes,” he reminded as he clicked the lock. Opening the door, he stepped outside and began to speak to Monroe and her small army. Josh flicked his gaze briefly to Liam and nodded stiffly, hoisting up the body and making his way toward the door. He walked out slowly first, dragging the body bag across the ground and retreating back behind it without turning around. No way in hell was he turning his back on the enemy.

The hunters parted and a woman stepped forward, one Josh immediately recognized as the guidance counselor from the school. This was the woman that had taken everything from him. Clenching his jaw, he lowered himself into a crouch and waited for her to approach. “They tried to run, tried to take a couple of deputies with them.” The sheriff explained, glancing at the bodies and then back at her. “Either way, you got what you wanted.”

“Let me see their faces.” She said, tilting her chin higher. Josh reached for the zipper, heart racing in his chest as he prayed to a being he didn’t believe in. If she’d seen their faces, it was game over. He swallowed down his nerves and began unzipping, nodding slightly for Scott to do the same. The woman slowly stepped closer and Josh tensed, reminding himself that there was a sea of armed men behind her waiting for the right signal. He wasn’t going to risk drawing their fire when he knew Liam was pressed against the entrance behind him, watching their every move.

Peeling back the tarp covering the deputy’s face, Josh settled back on his haunches and waited. Monroe shifted her weight a couple of times as she studied the pair and Scott took a deep breath. “What’s wrong, you don’t recognize them?” He asked. The spike of anger in her scent was enough for Josh to hide a smile. Good. They’d rattled her. She hadn’t seen the pair she was hunting. Maybe they could actually pull this off.

“Show me their tattoos,” she said. Josh’s heart plummeted.

“What tattoos?” Scott asked dumbly.

“The pack symbol.” Monroe said, her irritation evident.

“Which is…?” Scott asked.

“The stacked rocks,” Josh muttered. “Brett and Lori had them.” Monroe seemed to perk up at that, her twisted smile appearing.

“You must be the one that was held captive with them. I’d heard a rumor about you, Josh. A pleasure to finally meet you.” She said.

“The pleasure will be all mine when I rip out your throat and leave you choking on your own tongue,” Josh growled softly.

“You’re awfully angry about their deaths, Mr. Diaz. Did they mean something to you?” Monroe asked, amusement coloring her voice. Josh swallowed hard and nodded his head, lifting his gaze to hers.

“They were like family to me. You might not have been behind the wheel, but we both know you’re the reason they died. You and your genocidal decree,” he laughed bitterly. “You and the rest of them are fucking murderers.”

“Funny, I’ve heard the same stories about you.” Monroe said, clearly throwing to catch him off guard. Josh only laughed and bared his blunt, human teeth.

“I’ve got more blood on my hands than most here, it’s true. Do you know what that means?” Josh asked, tapping his fingers against his leg. “It means that Jiang and Tierney were saints in comparison. You think they were murderers? You’ve seen nothing yet.”

“Josh, stop. You’re making it worse.” Scott hissed under his breath.

“Not gonna happen, McCall. I want this bitch to know what’s coming for her. Because when she least expects it, I’ll be there. I’ll rip her apart piece by piece for what she did to Brett. And that’s a goddamn promise,” he snarled softly. “You want a fight, Monroe? Then stop hiding behind your little army and let’s fight. I’ll even let you get the first shot. But it’s the only one you’ll take.” Josh rumbled. Before she could respond, a vehicle door shut from behind the line of hunters and drew her attention.

“Good thing you’re not the only ones who can negotiate,” Rafe McCall spoke up as he stepped through the crowd. Scott perked up instantly, his surprise clouding the air around them and making Josh wrinkle his nose.

“Dad?” He asked softly. He slowly got to his feet, Josh doing the same. “What are you doing here?”

“Making sure no one else dies tonight,” the special agent replied. “I’m prepared to help cut a deal.”

“With that bitch?” Josh asked, throwing Monroe a dirty look. “You’re just going to let her take Jiang and Tierney and kill them? I won’t let you,” he warned. They were all that was left of Satomi’s pack and one of the few surviving connections to Brett’s memory. Like hell was she going to take them. He’d said he hadn’t cared about the pair and he meant that. But caring and giving people up to die were two very different things. He knew that better than anyone.

“I’m taking them into federal custody,” Agent McCall said curtly. “Scott. Take your friend and go inside while we talk business.”

“Fuck you-“ Josh snarled, throwing Scott a venomous look as the true alpha reached for his arm. “She’s got teenagers getting their hands bloodied for her. Don’t let her lie to you. She’s killed teenagers and tortured them and now she’s holding a police station hostage. Don’t let her get away with this,” he warned. With a fanged look tossed at Monroe, he turned on his heel and stormed inside the station. Liam immediately followed after him into the sheriff’s office, the rest of the pack starting to follow.

“What changed your mind?” Liam asked softly, sitting down as Josh crossed the room and slumped down behind Stilinski’s desk.

“There was no fucking remorse, Liam. She killed Brett and Lori and didn’t bat an eye. She didn’t flinch back from me and she brought my pack into it.” He growled, digging his nails into the wooden underside of the desk.

“You’re not in the pack,” Malia reminded curtly. Josh flashed his eyes at her and snarled, gritting his teeth.

“I didn’t fucking say I was, bitch. I wasn’t talking about your pack,” Josh muttered darkly. He looked at the door where Scott was hesitating, obviously listening to the conversation going on outside. “What’s the plan?” He asked. He needed something else to focus on.

“She’s telling my dad that she wants us to leave town. All supernaturals to leave and she’ll be satisfied.” Scott murmured, lips pursing. “He’s bargaining with her. Just us gone and he’ll stick around to keep an eye on things.”

“I can’t just leave,” Liam protested. “What about Theo? Mason? My mom and dad?”

“Might be better this way. If we’re gone, no one will be around to threaten them.” Scott said softly. The rest of the pack murmured discontentment, each shuffling around to take their seats around the room. A few minutes later, the station door clicked open and the sheriff and Agent McCall stepped inside. Parrish pointed them toward the office and Rafe stepped inside, turning and easing the door shut.

“Scott, are you sure about this?” Lydia asked.

“I’m not,” Liam spoke up. “This deal sucks.”

“But it’s the only one on the table,” Rafe said. “In a situation like this, the best plan is always to de escalate. That’s why you called me, isn’t it?” He asked the sheriff.

“To be honest, I didn’t think anyone was going to show up.” John replied quietly, sounding defeated. “I was lucky to get a call out before the power went out.”

“Okay.” Scott said softly. Josh snapped his head up with wide eyes, running his fingers back through his hair. Every eye in the room turned to him and he took a deep breath. “We’ll go.”

“But my parents. Mason. Theo,” Liam whined softly. “Scott. I can’t…” Tears welled in his eyes and Josh turned to look at him, clenching his jaw.

“We get Theo a phone like we talked about. My dad might have one we can borrow. And Mason will be okay. He’s human. Monroe won’t be able to gain anything by messing with him. He and Theo can take care of each other. And your parents...maybe it’s best that they find out the truth now. We won’t leave forever, Liam. Just until things calm down-“

“Fuck you!” Liam shouted, rising from his chair. He swiped at his eyes, storming from the room.

“Liam!”

“I’ve got him.” Josh said, getting up. He followed the beta with ease, catching the bathroom door before it could be slammed in his face. “I’ll go with you when you tell your parents. You don’t have to be alone,” he said softly.

“This isn’t fucking fair,” Liam sniffed. “We’re trying to protect them. We aren’t the enemy. Why do I have to lose everything just because of some stupid hunters?”

“Because life sucks and it doesn’t stop.” Josh took a step closer, sighing. “We’re doing this for our friends. So more innocents don’t have to die. As long as we go peacefully, Monroe won’t see us as a threat anymore. We can play it smart and find a way back before they even miss us. Scott’s doing what he thinks is best. If we do this, it could stop the war from getting worse. It could buy us the time we need to fight whatever thing is causing all this fear.”

“I’m going to have to look my parents in the face, tell them I’m a werewolf, and then leave as soon as I do. What if they hate me? What if they’ll be glad I’m going?” Liam asked, lip quivering.

“Then you’ll move in with me when we come back to town. Liam, I’m not going to let that happen. And if you think Jenna is going to love you any less because of this, then you’re an idiot. Your mom loves you. And if she does hate you, then we tell her about the awful shit I’ve done and you’ll be a saint in comparison. She’d be an idiot to want to get rid of you.” Josh said firmly. He reached forward and grabbed the back of Liam’s neck, pulling him in for a hug. It was awkward and stiff at first, but the beta gradually relaxed into him and Josh managed a weak smile. “You and I will look out for each other. Deal? I’ll be your anchor until you can come back to Theo. And you’ll give me a reason to stay alive through this war.”

“Deal.” Liam muttered into his shoulder. Josh nodded and pulled back, sighing as Liam frowned up at him.

“I want to see Theo before we go. He should see for himself that I’m alive. I can deliver the phone you guys were talking about and let him know that we’re leaving.”

“But he’s my soulmate-“

“And right now, Monroe is going to rub that in your face to get a reaction. Theo’s my best friend, Liam. I need to tell him about what’s going on. I can’t just abandon him without some kind of explanation. Besides, I’m the stealthy one. I should be the one to sneak in and see him. If you see him, you won’t want to leave. It’ll just make things harder.” Josh murmured. Liam knew he was right. It didn’t make the decision any easier. He rubbed his fingers along Theo’s dull black name on his wrist, forcing himself to nod in agreement.

“Fine. But you do it after we tell my parents. I’ll pack a bag and you can go to Theo.” Liam took a deep breath and stepped back from him, his face slowly clearing of emotion. “Do you want to stop by your place and pack a bag?”

“On our way out of town. I want to go to the cemetery first. Before we go,” Josh confessed softly.

“Do you think Monroe will let us?”

“I don’t give a fuck about what she wants. We’ll leave, but she isn’t stopping me from going where I need to be before we go. I’m fucking visiting their graves before we skip town.” Josh muttered bitterly. Liam clicked his mouth shut and nodded, knowing he couldn’t argue. If Josh needed closure, he deserved it. Liam was pretty sure that Scott’s dad could make it happen. If he couldn’t, they’d find a way to visit their fallen friends before they left. It was the least Scott could do since he’d made the decision to uproot them all without even asking.

Liam and Josh exited the bathroom a couple of minutes later, the pack waiting for them in the hallway. Agent McCall was handcuffing Jiang and Tierney, the two betas glaring fiercely at Liam. Josh sneered in their direction, standing protectively behind Liam as Scott approached. “I’m sorry,” the alpha began. “I know that this is a lot right now and you’re hurting. But we need to think about what’s best for everyone right now. My dad was right. Things will only keep escalating if we stay and fight her off. I promise you, I have a plan. I just need you to trust me right now.”

“Trust you?” Josh scoffed, stepping around Liam and sizing up to the alpha. “That’s rich, coming from a coward who wants to run away when this town needs his help. What about the other supernaturals, Scott? Monroe isn’t going to give them the chance to run away. She’s going to slaughter each and every one of them, just like she did to Satomi and her pack. And that death count? That’s going to fall on you, Scott. For every supernatural that dies while we’re away, you’ll be the one to blame. Just remember that.” He said, shoving him hard with his shoulder for good measure as he walked past. He approached Agent McCall without a word, waiting for the man to give him his undivided attention. “How long did she give us to leave town?” He asked.

“You have to be gone by sunrise.”

“And what are the parameters she set?”

“She wants a hunter to accompany each of you to your homes and then escort you out of town.” He explained patiently.

“I want to go to the cemetery with Liam. Can you make that happen?” Josh asked. Rafe considered him for a moment before nodding his head, glancing over at his son.

“I can convince her that you won’t be a problem. You won’t be, will you?” He asked firmly, dragging his gaze back to Josh.

“Special agent McCall, I’m offended you’d ever think that. Me? Problematic? Never.” Josh winked and turned his gaze to Jiang and Tierney. “You two are positive your entire pack is dead?” He asked.

“Why does it matter to you?” Tierney asked coldly.

“Because your alpha should know they’re being hunted. Whoever they are,” Josh said quietly. “Is there any way I can leave a message for them?”

“If someone is still alive, they might check the graveyard.” Jiang said softly. “Stack rocks on the graves and let them know they aren’t alone. That’s your best option.”

“Thank you.” Josh murmured softly.

“Scott, we should let Nolan go. Let him out when we go as a sign of good faith.” Liam suggested to his alpha quietly.

“He should be in prison for what he did here. He attempted murder,” Scott reminded.

“I know. But Monroe could take back the deal if we don’t. And right now, I don’t think we should push our luck. We’re lucky enough that Josh and Malia aren’t putting up a bigger fight. If it were up to me, I’d be dragged out kicking and screaming,” Liam confessed, “but I know that wouldn’t help. Josh talked some sense into me.”

“I’m sorry about your friends and that your parents will find out the truth this way. But I think it’s better for them to hear it from you before someone else spreads lies and rumors. You don’t deserve that, Liam.” Scott reached over and gently squeezed his shoulder. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No. Josh said he’d stay with me. Are we meeting up to leave together?” Liam asked. Where would they go? How far would they have to travel before they made it far enough out of town to be considered safe? Who was going to pay for all of this? Liam didn’t have money put away to put toward a couple of nights in a hotel. And what about Theo? How long would he be forced to be even further away from his soulmate?

“I think we should convene at the animal clinic. Explain to Deaton what’s going on.” Scott rubbed the back of his neck, glancing around the room. “Why don’t we meet at three? That gives us time to pack and say goodbye to our families.”

“Fine. And Scott? Can you ask your dad about getting a burner phone to Theo? Maybe he’s got one.” Liam suggested softly. Digging the key card from his pocket, he turned and made his way slowly down the hall to the holding cell. Nolan shot to his feet in an instant and hurried the the door, wrapping long fingers around the bars.

“What’s happening? Who died?” He demanded as Liam swiped the card.

“No one. We’re letting you go and leaving town.” Liam said coldly. He stepped forward to block Nolan’s escape, his eyes burning gold. “I want you to listen very closely to me. If anything happens to Jiang and Tierney, I’m holding you personally responsible. And Theo. Even though he hates me right now, he’s still my soul mate. So if he gets hurt by any of you and I find out when I come back, I’m going to be incredibly unhappy with you. You think you know me, Nolan. But you’ve never seen me angry. What you and Gabe did to me is tame in comparison to my anger disorder. Remember that.” He warned lowly before stepping back. Nolan couldn’t scramble away fast enough. He watched him retreat down the hall, sighing as Josh stepped into the doorway. “Do you always have to eavesdrop?”

“I wanted to make sure he didn’t have any tricks up his sleeve. What did he and Gabe do to you?” Josh asked, frowning as he stepped closer.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll tell you later.” He promised.

“How encouraging,” Josh muttered under his breath. He turned and followed Liam out, pulling his old mask back on as they joined the pack and began to exit the precinct together. He watched as Agent McCall pressed something small into Scott’s hands before letting go, guiding the rogue betas to the transport van that had arrived for them. Josh watched Nolan join another teenage boy in the hunters gathered around, shifting protectively in front of Liam to try and shield him from view. There wasn’t much else he could do to protect him. With Monroe watching them with a satisfied smirk, it took all of his willpower not to lunge for her then and there. He’d make sure that she got exactly what was coming to her. She had hurt Liam and the pack enough. She thought she had Theo under her thumb. Josh couldn’t wait until the day she found out the truth with his claws sinking into her neck. She’d taken everything from him and he was all too excited to return the favor. It could take weeks to come to fruition, but Josh was willing to bide his time. He would spend his days plotting her downfall one step at a time.

“My dad got you guys a truck to borrow,” Scott said quietly over his shoulder. He offered the keys to Josh and then something else, a small device that filled him with hope. “Be careful.”

“It’s like you don’t even know me.” Chuckling, Josh clicked the keys and shifted his attention to a navy truck. It was bigger than what he was used to driving, but that wasn’t a problem. He nudged Liam with his shoulder and nodded toward the vehicle, letting him go to it first before he paused and turned back toward Monroe and the hunters watching them. “We’re going to the cemetery first,” he said. “Your goons can follow us there. But if they try and stop us, I’ll hunt you all down.” He promised. Monroe’s eyes widened slightly, her lips thinning unhappily with the threats. Smirking, Josh turned on his heel and headed over to the truck. Liam was on the phone with someone, his expression pained as he hung up the phone. “What’s wrong?”

“My mom called.” Liam said softly, tears welling in his eyes again. “She said someone came by the house looking for me a couple of hours ago. They know, Josh. Monroe’s already told them.” The scent of dread and terror thickened in the cabin and Josh grit his teeth. He reached over and took Liam by the hand, squeezing tightly.

“Guess we'll just have to go home and prove the rumors wrong. Fuck whatever they told her, Liam. We’ll set the record straight.” He promised. Whatever it took.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I had not forgotten about my baby. This fic means everything to me and I’m sorry the update took so long. My life is going to get a little more hectic over the next several weeks so updates are slow. But I promise, I still have every intent to finish this fic.


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